The finalisation of NRC and conduct of elections are equally important, the top court said.
The deadline for the publication of the final draft of the National Registry of Citizens (NRC) will not be extended beyond July 31, the Supreme Court has said. It has ordered the Assam government, the NRC coordinator and Election Commission to take steps simultaneously carry out work on finalising the NRC and preparations for the coming 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and ensure that neither are affected by each other.
The top court's order came in response to a plea from the Assam government asking for an extension in the July 31 deadline. The court ordered that a meeting be organised within seven days between Assam Chief Secretary Alok Kumar, NRC coordinator Prateek Haleja and representatives of the Election Commission of India. The agenda of the meeting would be to ensure that sufficient manpower and resources are made available to ensure both processes go smoothly.
The court also ordered the Assam government to report on the outcomes of the meeting to it at the next hearing, which is scheduled for February 5.
NRC Haleja had told the court that work on the NRC may be delayed by the redirection of officials for election duties. The Supreme Court bench comprising of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justice RF Nariman stated that the elections and NRC are equally important.
The Supreme Court had in December extended the last date for the filing of claims and objections on inclusion of names in the NRC from December 15 to December 31, 2018.
The first draft of the NRC had been published on January 1, 2018 with 1.9 crore names, while the second draft was published on July 30, 2018 with 2.9 crore names. The population of Assam is about 3.3 crore. Allegations were made that close to 40 lakh people had been deliberately excluded from the list.
NRC has been a hot-button topic in Assam, since it is an attempt to identify Indian citizens from illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Applicants at an NRC application centre.")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}