NRC update: SC likely to take call on panchayat certificates today

GUWAHATI: The fate of the NRC update process in the state is likely to be decided on Wednesday when the Supreme Court hears a petition by All Assam Minority Students’ Union (Aamsu), seeking validation of panchayat certificates as proof of citizenship. The apex court is also likely to give its verdict on the Centre’s plea for more time, till July next year, for publication of the draft NRC.
More than 48 lakh people of the state have submitted certificates issued by gram panchayats as the only document in support of their citizenship when they applied for inclusion of their names in the updated NRC.
Earlier, state coordinator of NRC Prateek Hajela had informed the Supreme Court that only about 10 to 20 lakh of these panchayat certificates of total 48 lakh submitted have been found to be legal. The Gauhati high court, in a ruling, had in February said panchayat certificates can be submitted only as a supporting document that may be given with any one of the 14 documents notified by the Registrar General of India as a valid document. Aamsu president Azizur Rahman said, “We have prayed for validation of panchayat certificates. We are positive.”
According to the RGI, an applicant has to submit any one of the 14 documents in List A where the name of self or ancestor appears to prove residence in Assam up to the midnight of March 24, 1971.
These documents include the 1951 NRC, electoral roll up to March 24, 1971 (midnight), land and renancy records, citizenship certificate, permanent residential certificate, refugee registration certificate, passport, LIC, any government issued licence/certificate, government service or employment certificate, bank or post office accounts, birth certificate, board or university educational certificate and court records or processes.
NRC authorities have said panchayat certificates issued by a circle officer or GP secretary for married women who migrated after marriage (can be of any year before or after March 24 (midnight), 1971and ration card issued up to the midnight March 24, 1971, can be adduced as supporting documents.
“However, these two documents shall be accepted only if accompanied by any one of the documents listed above,” said an official.