Assam NRC: Army officer, Ex-President’s nephew, Assam legislator not included in draft

Azmal Haque, a resident of Chhaygaon area in Assam’s Kamrup district and a retired Army officer was also left out of Assam’s complete draft of NRC.

Azmal had served the Indian army for 30 years from 1986 to 2016 and retired as a Junior Commanding Officer (JCO) in 2016.

Not only Azmal, his son and daughter’s names are missing from the draft NRC as well.

Azmal Haque, who presently living at Panjabari area in Guwahati with his family said, "I served the Indian army for 30 years and all verification process was done when I joined the army. I submitted all documents to entry our names in the NRC. My name, that of of my two children and younger brother’s names were omitted despite submitting all valid documents,” Azmal said.

On the other hand, family members of former President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed too were left out of the complete draft NRC.

Ziauddin Ali Ahmed is the son of the country’s fifth president’s brother Late Ekramuddin Ali Ahmed .

The Assam government on Monday published the complete draft of NRC by including the names of 2.89 crore persons out of 3.29 crore applicants.

Ziauddin said that, he would try to find out the necessary documents to ensure his family members' names are included in the list.

Apart from it, Md. Javed Ali, a resident of minority dominated lower Assam district South Salmara Mankachar, also failed to find out his name in the draft NRC.

Javed said that six other people of his family have been included in the complete draft list, but his name is missing.

Javed said that, he submitted all essential documents during the application submission process of NRC.

“I was shocked after my name was missing in the complete draft, but I did not panic. I had submitted all documents during the application submission process. I don’t know why my name was missing. I will again submit my claim and objection to the NRC official,” Javed said.

Not only Javed, there are over 40 lakh other people whose names were left out from the complete draft of NRC.

Registrar General of India (RGI) Shailesh said that, 2,89,83,677 numbers of persons are found eligible for inclusion in complete draft of NRC out of 3,29,91,384 applicants.

That is over 40.07 lakh persons have been excluded from the list.

The RGI further said that, persons who do not find their names in complete draft NRC have the legal right to apply again by filing of claim during the period August 30 to September 28 this year.

They will be able to know the reasons for non-inclusion by visiting NRC Seva Kendras and enquiring from Local Registrar.

“The publishing of complete draft NRC is conducted under the monitoring and supervision and direction of the Supreme Court. It is a legal process under the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship Rules 2003,” Shailesh said.

The process of NRC updation was taken up in Assam as per order of the Supreme Court in 2013.

The process of NRC update in Assam differs from the rest of the country and is governed by Rules 4A and the corresponding Schedule of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. These rules have been framed as per the cut-off date March 24, 1971 decided as per Assam Accord.

The first draft of NRC was published on December 31 midnight by including 1.90 crore people out of 3.29 crore applicants.

The NRC updation process is continuing in Assam under the Supreme Court monitoring to identify the illegal foreigners residing in the state.

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)