Supreme Court Seeks Centre, Assam Replies On NRC Identity Cards

The Supreme Court on Aug 10 directed the Union Government and the Assam Government to file replies to a batch of petitions concerning the issuance of National Register of Citizens (NRC) identity cards to people whose names were included in the NRC list published in August 2019.

The petitions have been filed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) and the Assam Sankhyalaghu Sangram Parishad. The petitioners have raised questions over steps that they say should have followed the publication of the NRC list, Live Law reports.

Petitioners Flag Delay In I-Cards

A Bench comprising Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe heard the matter. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, submitted that notices had been issued but the Union Government and the Assam Government were yet to file their replies.

Sibal also sought permission to file a rejoinder to the reply submitted by the Registrar General of India.

The petitions primarily concern what the petitioners describe as the authorities' failure to take mandatory steps after the NRC list was published in 2019. They have sought the issuance of National Identity Cards to the 3.11 crore people found eligible, as required under Rule 13 of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.

Separate Plea Seeks NRC Re-Verification

Senior Advocate Manish Goswami mentioned an interlocutory application concerning a petition filed by former NRC Coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma. He told the court that Sarma's prayers were diametrically opposite to those raised in the petitions before it and sought to have his petition tagged with the other matters.

Sarma's petition seeks re-certification and re-verification of the NRC list on the ground that it contains several inaccuracies.

After briefly hearing Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Union Government, the court directed that Sarma's petition be tagged with the other matters and heard after the replies are filed.

19 Lakh Excluded People Also At Centre Of Pleas

The petitioners have also sought the issuance of rejection slips and the initiation of appeals under Paragraph 8 of the Schedule to Rule 4A of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, for the 19 lakh people excluded from the NRC.

They argue that the failure to issue identity cards to those included and take the required steps for those excluded has left the final NRC exercise incomplete. According to the petitioners, this failure is unconstitutional, arbitrary and violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

The proceedings bring two sharply contrasting demands before the Supreme Court. While the petitioners seek implementation of steps they say should have followed the 2019 NRC, Sarma has sought re-certification and re-verification of the list itself over alleged inaccuracies. The court will take up the matters after the Union Government and the Assam Government file their replies.