All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) leader Rafiqul Islam has called for the issuance of national identity cards to the 3.11 crore people included in Assam’s final National Register of Citizens (NRC) and official rejection slips to those left out of the register.
Speaking to the media, Islam urged the Centre and the Assam government to speed up the long-pending NRC process. He said rejection slips were necessary for those excluded from the final list to enable them to pursue available legal remedies before the Foreigners Tribunals.
The final NRC was published on August 31, 2019, following a five-year verification process. The register included around 3.11 crore people, while approximately 19 lakh applicants were excluded.
Islam said people whose names appeared in the final NRC had yet to receive national identity cards. He added that he had approached the Supreme Court through writ petitions and interlocutory applications, seeking directions for the issuance of identity cards and rejection slips.
According to Islam, the Supreme Court had sought responses from the Centre and the Assam government, with the next hearing scheduled for September. He said the Registrar General of India had already submitted an affidavit, while AIUDF’s senior lawyers were preparing a counter-affidavit.
Islam reiterated that completing the pending NRC-related procedures, including the issuance of identity cards and rejection slips, was essential to provide clarity on the status of people included in and excluded from the final register.
