Union Home Minister Amit Shah today reviewed the issues related to final publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. The review meeting held in New Delhi was attended by the Chief Minister of Assam, Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary Assam and senior officers. Extensive deliberations have been held on the issue between the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the state government of Assam in recent weeks.
It was decided that in order to facilitate the persons excluded from NRC, adequate arrangements will be made by the state government to provide full opportunity to appeal against their non-inclusion. Every individual, whose name does not figure in the final NRC, can represent his/her case in front of the appellate authority i.e. Foreigner Tribunals (FT). Under the provisions of Foreigners Act 1946 and Foreigners (Tribunals) Order 1964, only Foreigners Tribunals are empowered to declare a person as a foreigner. Thus, non-inclusion of a person's name in NRC does not by itself amount to him/her being declared as a foreigner.
In order to facilitate the persons excluded from NRC, adequate number of such tribunals is being established at convenient locations. It has been decided that State Government would also make arrangements to provide legal aid to the needy people amongst those excluded from NRC.
