Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia raises concerns over dysfunctional NRC website, helpline services

Former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and former Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia has written to the Chief Secretary of Assam raising serious concerns over the dysfunctional condition of the official NRC Assam website and its associated helpline services.

In his letter addressed to the Chief Secretary at Janata Bhawan, Dispur, Saikia alleged that while attempting to retrieve his Application Receipt Number (ARN) through the “Know Your ARN” section of the NRC portal, he encountered a “completely broken administrative mechanism.”

According to the letter, the designated state helpline number, 15107, repeatedly rang without any response. Saikia further claimed that when he used a SIM card registered outside Assam to call the toll-free number meant for outside-Assam queries, the call was reportedly redirected to a veterinary hospital in Shillong.

Calling the situation “completely unacceptable,” Saikia questioned the accountability surrounding the maintenance of the NRC digital infrastructure, particularly after the exercise reportedly incurred public expenditure exceeding Rs 1,600 crore.

He also questioned whether the abandoned state of the portal and helplines reflected an implicit dilution of the importance and validity of the NRC process itself.

In the letter, Saikia urged the state government to immediately investigate the matter, restore the functionality of the NRC website, rectify the helpline services and ensure dedicated support for citizens seeking access to NRC-related information.

He further stated that the people of Assam deserve a transparent explanation regarding what he termed as “gross negligence” in maintaining the crucial public service infrastructure.