Assam: AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam seeks identity cards for NRC-listed residents, rejection slips for excluded

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA and general secretary Rafiqul Islam has called for the issuance of national identity cards to people included in Assam’s final National Register of Citizens (NRC), while seeking rejection slips for those excluded from the list to enable them to pursue legal remedies.

Addressing the long-pending NRC issue, Islam said the final NRC was published on August 31, 2019, after a five-year exercise, and contained the names of around 3.11 crore people, while approximately 19 lakh applicants were excluded.

“Those whose names appear in the final NRC should receive national identity cards, while the 19 lakh people excluded from the list should be issued rejection slips so they can appeal their cases,” Islam said.

He said the failure to issue identity cards to those included in the final NRC remained a matter of concern and claimed that the Supreme Court had issued directions concerning the process.

According to Islam, the AIUDF has approached the courts on the matter on multiple occasions. He said the party has filed writ petitions and Interlocutory Applications (IAs) in proceedings related to the NRC before the Supreme Court.

“There are numerous cases in the Supreme Court; we have filed Interlocutory Applications and Writ Petitions in each of them,” he said.

Islam said the next hearing in the matter is scheduled for next month and that the Supreme Court has directed the state and central governments to submit their responses.

He further said the Registrar General of India (RGI) has already filed an affidavit before the court, while senior advocates representing the petitioners are preparing a counter-affidavit.

“Our senior advocates are currently preparing a counter-affidavit, which we intend to submit very soon,” Islam said.

The NRC was updated under the supervision of the Supreme Court following a prolonged process aimed at determining the names of eligible residents of Assam. The final list was published in 2019, but the process has remained subject to legal and administrative issues, including the status of those excluded and the issuance of documents to those included.