Skip to content Skip to navigation

Statement on National Register of Citizens in Assam

By AT News |
People checking their names in final NRC list at NRC Centre of Panchmaile Gao Panchayat in Tezpur on 01-09-19. Photo by UB Photos
People checking their names in final NRC list at NRC Centre of Panchmaile Gao Panchayat in Tezpur on 01-09-19. Photo by UB Photos

THIS is for your kind information and necessary action

1. Yesterday, the office of the State Coordinator, NRC Assam released a press statement on the publication of the final NRC as on 31st August 2019.  

2.  Since then, there have been commentaries in sections of the foreign media about aspects of the final NRC which are incorrect.  

3.  Let me begin with the background.  Government of India signed the Assam Accord in 1985 with the promise to take care of the interests of the citizens of Assam.  NRC aims to give effect to the Assam Accord signed in 1985 between the Government of India, State Government of Assam, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and All Assam Gan Sangram Parishad (AAGSP). Supreme Court of India mandated the government to deliver on the commitment in 2013. This led to the process of updating the National Register of Citizens in Assam in 2015.

4.  Updating of NRC is a statutory, transparent, legal process mandated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. This is not an executive-driven process. The process is being monitored by the  Supreme Court directly and the government is acting in accordance with the directives issued by the court. The apex court of the land has itself set the deadlines for all steps that have been taken so far.

5. NRC is a fair process based on scientific methods. Inclusion in the NRC is a unique process, as it is based on “application” rather than “house to house enumeration”. It means that any person in Assam could have sought to be included in the list on the basis of having documentation to prove lineage from an entitled person, i.e. a person who was a resident of Assam as on March 24, 1971.

6. It is a non-discriminatory process, which leaves no room for bias and injustice. As can be seen from the application form for data entry in NRC, there was no column in the application asking for the religion of the applicant.

7. Anyone excluded from the list at this stage has a right to file an appeal within 120 days of receiving a notification of exclusion to the designated Tribunal.  All appeals and excluded cases will be examined by this Tribunal i.e. a judicial process. This judicial process will commence only after the appellate period is over. Thereafter, anyone still aggrieved by any decision of being excluded will have the right to approach the High Court of Assam and then the Supreme Court.

8. Exclusion from the NRC has no implication on the rights of an individual resident in Assam. For those who are not in the final list will not be detained and will continue to enjoy all the rights as before till they have exhausted all the remedies available under the law. It does not make the excluded person “Stateless”. It also does not make him or her a “Foreigner”, within the legal meaning of the term. They will not be deprived of any rights or entitlements which they have enjoyed before.

9. The government of India will even assist in providing directions on how to deal with such appeals. Through the District Legal Service Authorities, the government has provisioned to extend legal aid to the needy. The State of Assam has assured provision of free legal assistance to any person excluded from the list and who is unable to afford such legal assistance. This is to enable people, especially the disadvantaged sections, to have access to the best possible legal assistance.

10. To expedite the process of receiving applications for inclusion, the State Government is further adding 200 tribunals to the existing 100 tribunals. A further 200 more tribunals will be set up by the State of Assam by December 2019. These Tribunals will be set up at Block level for the convenience of appellants.

11.   India, as the world’s largest democracy, has firmly enshrined ‘equal rights for all’ and ‘respect for the rule of law’ in its Constitution.  An independent judiciary and fully autonomous state institutions, working for the defence of human rights, are an integral part of our political fabric and traditions. Any decision that is taken during the process of implementation of the NRC, will be within the four corners of the Indian law and consistent with India’s democratic traditions.

  • 9619 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

High Court Exposes Land Deal in Dima Hasao; AJYCP Calls Out Govt “Falsehood”

Guwahati: A storm has broken out after revelations in the Gauhati High Court that the Assam Government sold 3,000 bighas of tribal land in Dima Hasao to a private cement company at ₹2 lakh per bigha. The disclosure, made during a hearing yesterday, has drawn sharp reactions across the state. The land in question, reserved under the Sixth Schedule for tribal communities in Umrangso, was allotted to Mahabali Cement Company. Following petitions from affected parties, Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi’s bench took a stern view, asking how such transfer of protected land could take place. The court directed the Assam Government to file an affidavit within two days, producing all related documents of...

Awareness Programme on Mental Health and Drug Abuse Held at Panbazar H.S. School, Guwahati

On 28th August 2025, Panbazar Higher Secondary School in Guwahati hosted an impactful Awareness Programme focused on mental health and drug abuse among teenage children. The event saw active participation from 60 students of Classes VI to XII, 11 school teachers, and a delegation of 15 Rotarians, demonstrating strong community collaboration. The session was led by expert resource persons Mr. Birendra Kr. Boxla and Mr. Richard Johnson Claridge from Snehalaya and Sita Centre, who addressed critical issues such as mental health challenges, peer pressure, and substance abuse dangers. They emphasized the importance of early intervention, open dialogue, and robust community support to help...

Five Years, 36,800 Crashes: Assam’s Roads Tell a Grim Story

A new report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has laid bare a disturbing picture of road safety in Assam. In the past five years alone, the state witnessed over 36,800 accidents and the loss of more than 15,000 lives—a toll higher than in any other North-eastern state. The year-wise data shows little sign of relief. In 2019, Assam recorded 8,350 mishaps with 3,208 deaths. Though the pandemic year 2020 saw fewer vehicles on the road, it still registered 6,595 crashes and 2,629 fatalities. The following years saw the numbers climb back, and by 2023, the state reached 7,421 accidents and 3,296 deaths, marking a 10% jump in fatalities compared to 2022. Officials say...

Naga Agitation Intensifies on Assam-Nagaland Border, Farmers' Land and Livelihoods Under Threat

Sarupathar, August 31: The agitation by Naga groups along the Assam-Nagaland border has seen a sharp increase, severely disrupting the lives of local Assamese residents. The escalating unrest has been marked by repeated claims over Assam’s land by Naga factions, including demands for shares of farmers' crops and intimidation of villagers in border areas such as Uriamghat's Raja Pukhuri No. 1 village. The Naga groups assert that the land belonged to their forefathers and call for recognition of their rights, demanding contracts and taxes from Assamese farmers cultivating the disputed land. Following eviction drives by the Assam government to reclaim encroached lands, Naga activists have...

Violent Protest at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati as BJP Workers Target Congress Office

A fierce political confrontation unfolded at Rajiv Bhawan, the Congress headquarters in Guwahati, as a large group of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, workers, and supporters staged a provocative protest, allegedly targeting Congress leaders and their banners with violence. The incident marks a significant escalation in political tensions between Assam’s main rival parties ahead of the 2026 elections. BJP agitators broke barricades set up by police and tore down Congress banners and posters displayed outside Rajiv Bhawan. The banners included images of key Congress figures such as state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, opposition leader Debabrata Saikia, and Assam Pradesh Mahila...

Gauhati Medical College in Fresh Controversy Over Alleged Baby Swap Case

Guwahati: The Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has once again landed in controversy, this time over allegations of a newborn baby being swapped. The family of Priyanka Sharma, a woman from Dhupdhara in Goalpara district, has accused hospital staff of replacing their healthy baby with another infant. According to the family, Priyanka was advised a cesarean delivery but ultimately gave birth through normal delivery. After the birth, the family claimed they saw the baby, who appeared healthy. However, soon after, neither the mother nor other relatives were allowed to see the newborn. When the family inquired, doctors assured them that the child was in good health. Shock came...

1875, Not 1933: Mizoram Reasserts Border Claim

Mizoram has reaffirmed its stand on the 1875 notification as the only legitimate boundary with Assam, rejecting the 1933 Survey of India map cited by Assam. Home Minister K. Sapdanga told the Assembly that the colonial-era demarcation, drawn after consultation with local chiefs, remains binding. Talks between the two states have stretched across decades, with the last round held in Guwahati in April. The next meeting is to take place in Aizawl, though no date has been fixed. Mizoram has set up a study team to compile archival records to back its claim. On the ground, tensions persist. In mid-August, Mizoram villagers accused Assam officials of damaging nearly 300 rubber plants in...

Assam, Arunachal Officials Meet to Strengthen Border Management

In a bid to ease tensions along the Assam–Arunachal boundary, senior officials from both states held a joint meeting at Narayanpur in Assam’s Lakhimpur district on Thursday, adopting a series of measures to improve coordination and maintain peace. The meeting was attended by officials from Assam’s Lakhimpur and Biswanath districts and Arunachal’s Papum Pare district. Both sides agreed to stop all new construction and encroachment until the final demarcation of the interstate boundary is completed. To ensure smoother communication, the states will appoint nodal officers as official points of contact, while a dedicated WhatsApp group will be created to allow quick information-sharing among...

Assam Among Bottom Five States in Health, Education and Economy

Assam has been ranked among the bottom five states of the country in crucial development indicators including health, education and economic growth, according to a fresh NITI Aayog assessment. The report placed Assam 26th in health and well-being, 25th in education, and 23rd in economic development. On gender equality and zero hunger, the state was positioned at 25th and 22nd respectively. The poor performance has raised concern over the state’s planning and budgetary priorities, despite official claims of inclusive growth. Experts have pointed out that school enrolment, institutional health services and poverty reduction continue to remain below the national average. NITI Aayog’s...

Rotary Club of Guwahati and NERAMAC Distribute Saplings, Launch Tree Plantation Drive

Guwahati, August 23: The Rotary Club of Guwahati, in collaboration with the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd. (NERAMAC), organized a major plantation and sapling distribution initiative this week. On Tuesday, August 21, a total of 3,000 medicinal and fruit-bearing saplings were distributed among local villagers of Bijoynagar and adjoining areas at the premises of 28 Nahira Primary School and Kongdang Primary School. The program witnessed enthusiastic participation from villagers, teachers, Rotarians, and NERAMAC officials. Continuing the green initiative, a tree plantation drive was also conducted on Friday, August 22, at the NERAMAC office premises...