Assam urges ECI to integrate NRC data for electoral roll revision

The Assam government has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to integrate the state's unique National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise into the upcoming special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This plea aims to utilize the extensive verification undertaken during the NRC process to inform both the timeline and the criteria for document submission during the voter list update.

Assam stands as the sole Indian state to have completed the NRC, a monumental exercise designed to identify genuine Indian citizens. State officials contend that this comprehensive drive should significantly influence the electoral revision process. Reports indicate that the state administration has advocated for the NRC, once officially published, to be recognized as a valid document for proving citizenship during the SIR.

This request gains particular prominence as the ECI recently initiated a nationwide voter list revision, commencing with Bihar. The process has already sparked considerable debate, particularly concerning the stringency of citizenship verification.

The situation in Assam presents a unique complexity. The NRC, completed in 2019 under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court, aimed to address decades of migration-related tensions. However, the final draft excluded approximately 19.6 lakh individuals out of 3.3 crore applicants. Critically, the Registrar General of India has yet to formally notify the list, and both the preceding and current BJP-led state governments have expressed dissatisfaction with the current version, citing alleged inaccuracies.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has publicly voiced strong criticism of the NRC, asserting that it erroneously excluded indigenous populations while wrongly including a significant number of "foreigners." The state government is now advocating for a reverification process—20% in border districts and 10% in other areas—before it is prepared to accept any final version of the NRC.

While CM Sarma has not officially confirmed direct correspondence with the Election Commission on this matter, sources suggest that Assam is seeking a delay in the SIR until the NRC is finalized, a process they hope to complete by October. The state government believes that the meticulously verified NRC data could provide a robust foundation for identifying eligible voters.

Meanwhile, the ECI's new revision process in Bihar has drawn significant criticism from opposition parties, who allege it is a "backdoor NRC" or a de facto citizenship test. The poll panel had initially asked voters registered after 2003 to furnish multiple documents to prove their citizenship and age. This directive led to legal challenges in the Supreme Court, questioning the ECI's authority to conduct such extensive checks.

The Supreme Court has subsequently allowed the ECI to proceed with its revision but advised the panel to broaden the scope of acceptable documents. The revised list now includes Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, ration cards, and a total of 11 identity documents such as birth certificates, passports, school recor