Ahe of Supreme Court's deline of August 31, for publication of final list of National Register of Citizens (NRC), both relief and anxiety grip people of Assam. After a long and arduous battle of 34 years and 16 days, NRC is a long standing demand of people Assam and it is finally about to come true. Under direct supervision of Supreme Court, NRC took over five years to compile and cost a staggering Rs 1,200 crore. Containing names of all "genuine" Indian citizens, register is expected to solve long-standing foreigner problem in Assam by identifying illegal migrants and putting a cap on furr inflow into state. 

A wait of 34 years- All About National Register of Citizens

What is NRC? 

NRC, first prepared in 1951 by Census of India, is a register containing names of all genuine Indian citizens. It was updated in Assam to include names of those featured in first NRC of 1951 and ir descendant ​​​​​​, or anyone else whose names appear in Electoral rolls up to March 24, 1971. NRC is an outcome of All Assam Students' Union's (AASU) relentless demand for removing names of all illegal migrants from Electoral Rolls in 1979, after a series of protests. meticulous documentation process began in 2013, despite a pilot study being first initiated in 2010 in Barpeta district. In 2013, a special Supreme Court bench heed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Rohinton Fali Nariman ordered State Government machinery under Registrar General of India to update census. project heed by Prateek Hajela, State Coordinator for NRC affairs, was also appointed by Supreme Court. 

Why is NRC being updated in Assam? 

Zan, Zar, Zameen: A short history of nearly everything you need to kw about NRC

Assam has been worst victim of demographic change in post-colonial period. process, however, started as early as 18th and 19th Century and continues till date. This demographic change is primarily due to migration, or illegal immigration as referred w, from n Bengal, which became East Pakistan after independence and subsequently Banglesh since March 26, 1971. Initially migration was mainly because of shifting cultivation, but towards latter part of 19th century and in first quarter of 20th century, state-sponsored migration took place under British ministration. This disrupted demographic equation, but it furr deteriorated after partition in 1947. creation of East Pakistan and also move of some Muslim League leers to annex Assam in East Pakistan, led to large scale migration from both sides. Many Hindus living in East Pakistan came to India and many Muslim families went back, but only temporarily.

As atrocities of West Pakistan increased in region, Muslims who lived in Islamab and Lahore allegedly treated Bengali Muslims living in East Pakistan as second class citizens. This led to a rise in sentiments of Bengali pride and nationalism and eventually Banglesh Liberation War broke out in 1971. During this period, illegal immigration from Banglesh catapulted; with people fearing death at hands of Pakistani soldiers, many people irrespective of religion fled to India, mostly to Assam. n Union government led by Indira Gandhi of Congress took m in and facilitated m with "Roti-Kapda and Makaan"

Banglesh gained independence from Pakistan with help of Indian Army, however only a few of those who fled from East Pakistan returned back to ir new country- Banglesh. This included people from all religions. As population rose, alrey burdened state started scrambling for resources to sustain and this resulted in encroachment of lands (government as well as private). Many hectares of Satra land (land belonging to Vaishnavite Monasteries), forest lands were encroached. This flooding of illegal migration into state disturbed political and cultural components in region, reby changing demography at an alarming rate.

With support of politicians, several thousand illegal migrants slowly found ir names in  Electoral Rolls, tapping into ir vote bank, and because of politics of appeasement. This led to  indigeus people feeling threatened and it was at this point that Assam Agitation began under leership of AASU. Assam Agitation lasted six years and ended on August 15, 1985 with signing of Assam Accord. One of demands was a foreigner-free National Register of Citizens.

How was NRC updated? 

Prepared on basis of door-to-door enumeration, it took over 25 years to simply start process to give Assam a foreigner-free NRC. pilot project started in June 2010 in Barpeta district. It was soon called off following violence which claimed four lives.  matter was n taken to Supreme Court and in 2013, top court ordered for its speedy update. Since n, under monitoring of Supreme Court, process is underway. current process requires people to apply for inclusion in NCR and applications were accepted till August 31, 2015. Having published two drafts alrey, one on December 31, 2017, and or on July 30, 2018, re were provisions which allowed people to reapply for inclusions at various NRC seva kendras.

A rigorous process was undertaken, involving data collection of 3.4 crore people and over 6 crore documents. It is first of its kind and most extensive citizen engaging program undertaken globally, and Assam is first Indian state to do so. Over 30,000 government employees, 10,000 contractual staff and over 2,500 state-of--art NRC Seva Kendras were set up to do digitization of documents and collect data that was centrally transmitted to NRC he office in Guwahati. 

NRC is being updated under provisions of Citizenship Act, 1995 and Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 (As amended by 1. G.S.R 803 (E), dated vember 9, 2009 (with effect from 9/11/2009), Ministry of Home Affairs (Office of Registrar General, India), Order . S.O. 596(E), dated 15 March 2010, published in Gazette of India, Extra, Part II. . 504 S.3(ii), dated 16 March 2010 p. 1.). As per two statutes, eligibility status would be ascertained based on NRC, 1951, Electoral Rolls up to 1971 and in ir absence missible documents up to 24 March (midnight) 1971.

With final NRC at doorstep, what if your name is t re?

NRC is t a proof of citizenship and those who find ir names excluded will t be considered foreigners until y exhaust all ir legal options. Citizens will get equate time to represent ir case against exclusion. appellate authority in this regard is Foreigners Tribunal (FTs). Union Home Ministry has alrey extended time period to appeal by two months. w, one whose name has been excluded in this final NRC can approach appellate authority within 120 days. 

It is Foreigners Tribunal who will take final call on fate of people excluded in NRC.