Assam NRC: Are you trying to destroy the process, SC asks home ministry

New Delhi, Feb 05: The Supreme Court on Tuesday slammed the Centre after it sought suspension of the NRC work in Assam. The government said that it wanted suspension of the work from the date of notification of the Lok Sabha elections to two weeks after voting.

The Centre in its plea sought for the withdrawal of 167 companies of combined armed police forces involved in the Assam NRC work for the Lok Sabha elections. Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi lashed out the Ministry for Home Affairs and said that since the start the ministry has been making efforts to to destroy the NRC process.

If you wanted the NRC process to go on, then there were several ways to get it done. Is it too much to ask that the LS polls and NRC work should go on peacefully and simultaneously, the CJI also asked.

The Centre however said that the this election is anticipated to be held in a highly surcharged atmosphere. Undertaking the NRC work at this time would be difficult. It is the security of the nation that is involved, the Centre also said.

The CJI however asked, " you have 3,000 combined armed police companies. You need 2,700 for the LS polls. The Assam NRC work required 167 companies, so what is the problem. The Centre however said that it needs to protect the borders too. The security of the nation is involved.