What Are The Options For Those Excluded From Assam Citizens' List

The National Register of Citizens or NRC - a list intended to identify illegal immigrants in Assam - was published this morning, leaving out 19 lakh people who will now have to prove their citizenship. 

"A total of 3,11,21,004 persons found eligible for inclusion in final NRC leaving out 19,06,657 persons including those who did not submit their claims.Those not satisfied with outcome can file appeal before Foreigners Tribunals," Prateek Hajela,State Coordinator, NRC  told reporters this morning after the release of the list. 

Last year, the draft list had excluded over 41 lakh people. 

The Assam government has said that legal help will be provided to people who are not included in the NRC.

The centre has said people whose names don't appear in the final NRC cannot be declared foreigners till all legal options are exhausted. Every person left out of the NRC can appeal to the Foreigners Tribunal, and the time limit to file the appeal has been extended from 60 to 120 days.

The Home Ministry said at least 1,000 tribunals will be set up in phases to hear disputes; 100 tribunals are already open and 200 more will be set up in the first week of September.

If one loses the case in the tribunal, one can approach the high court and then the Supreme Court. No one will be put in detention centres until all legal options are exhausted, the government has said.

People who are not included in the final NRC list will not be automatically arrested. They will enjoy every right of an Indian citizen until the foreigners tribunal declares them as foreigners.

The National Register of Citizens (NRC), first published in Assam in 1951, is being updated as per directions of the Supreme Court to segregate Indian citizens living in Assam from those who have illegally entered the state from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971.