While the debate over the National Registry of Citizens (NRC) list continues throughout the nation, a petition has been filled in the Apex court seeking its direction in the issue of around 2,000 transgenders being excluded from the list of NRC of Assam.

On August 31, the NRC state coordinator's office released the final NRC list. 3,11,21,004 Assam residents have been found eligible, while 19,06,657 Assam residents have been found ineligible

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Exclusion of Transgenders from the list

In an interview to ANI, Assam's first transgender judge and petitioner Swati Bidhan Baruah said,

'Most transgenders were abandoned, they do not have documents pertaining to before 1971. Objection applications did not contain ‘others’ as a gender category.'

She also purported that the NRC exercise was not inclusive from first to last for the transgender community.

'NRC was not inclusive for transgenders and forced them to accept male or female as their gender. We are hoping the Supreme Court will take into consideration our petition'.

A Government statement declared that those not satisfied with the outcome can file an appeal before the Foreigners Tribunals.

Baruah in her earlier statement had said 'Many transgenders were compelled to leave their homes owing to the stigma still prevalent in our society. Those chased out of a home cannot go back to fetch documents required for the NRC.' Since many have changed their gender, they are confused about how to fill up the NRC application, she added.

'Although there is an option of ‘others’ in the application, there is no clear instruction on what documents they need to submit in support of their being transgenders, and we will apprise the Supreme Court of all these problems and request a special provision for us.'

NRC officials were quoted saying they could not include any names without the mandatory documents. Those whose names do not figure in the final draft will have the opportunity to file claims after the publication of the final draft.

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The NRC demand in Assam

Initially published in 1951, the NRC was specifically demanded in Assam by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) due to the centuries-old illegal migration of people. The ill-treatment of people in East Pakistan and the subsequent war in 1971 exacerbated the situation as thousands of persons from that region entered Assam. The Assam Accord signed by Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 principally agreed to the AASU’s demand. However, it took decades before the process commenced, after the direction of the Supreme Court. 

READ: NRC Final List: Assam govt publishes status of all applicants online

READ: Sonia Gandhi meets leaders from North East, NRC among issues discussed

(With Inputs from ANI)