SC junks Centre’s plea for more time to publish draft NRC in Assam 

SC junks Centre’s plea for more time to publish draft NRC in Assam 

Context

The Registrar General of Citizen Registration had sought more time and Attorney General K KVenugopal had backed the request

What has happened?

The Supreme Court has rejected the Centre’s plea for more time to publish the draft National Register for Citizens (NRC) for Assam and said it will be published after midnight on December 31

SC’sresponse to the request

The court slammed the request for more time saying “it is the sheer inaction on the part of the executive in dragging the matter for a period of over three years and the absence of any justifiable cause to hold back even a partial publication that has led the Court to direct publication of the draft NRC on or before 31st December, 2017

Attorney general’s position

The Attorney General said part publication of the draft NRC could result in a law and order situation as a large segment of the people would understand their names have been excluded

Present situation wrt claims

In the application seeking extension, Registrar General of Citizen Registration added that the,

• The claims remaining to be verified are of 38 lakh persons where doubts have arisen in respect of documents and particulars
• 47 lakh where doubts have arisen over parental linkage, and 29 lakh cases kept in abeyance of married women who submitted Panchayat Secretary Certificate