What is Assam’s NRC: A brief explainer

New Delhi, July 30: All eyes would be on Assam as the government is set to release the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). A total of 3.29 crore people had filed an application for the NRC. The exercise is aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state.

Here is an explainer on what the Assam NRC is?

What is the NRC, 1951:

The National Register of Citizens, 1951 is a register prepared after the conduct of the Census of 1951. It shows the house, holdings in a serial order and covers every person enumerated during the Census of 1951.

Why is the NRC being updated?

The exercise was undertaken to enlist the names of those persons or their descendants, whose names appear in any of the Electoral Rolls upto 1971, 1951 NRC or any of the admissible documents stipulated. The demand was first made by the AASU, around 30 yers back. The organisation had submitted a memorandum to the Centre on January 18 1980, after launching the anti-illegal foreigners Assam Movement.

How will it impact illegal immigrants:

The Assam accord was signed between the leaders of AASU-AAGSP and the Government of India in 1985 marking an end to a six-year-long agitation. It was agreed that all foreigners who had entered Assam between 1951 and 1961 would be given full citizenship. It was however stated that those who entered after 1971 would be deported.

How is the NRC being updated:

The NRC will be updated as per the provisions of The Citizenship Act, 1955 and The Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 (As amended by 1. G. S. R. 803(E), dated 9th November 2009 (with effect from 9/11/2009.) 2. Ministry of Home Affairs (Office of Registrar General, India), Order No. S.O. 596(E), dated 15th March, 2010, published in the Gazette of India, Extra, Part II. No. 504 S.3(ii), dated 16th March, 2010 p.1.). As per the two statutes, the eligibility status would be ascertained based on the NRC, 1951, Electoral Rolls up to 1971 and in their absence the admissible documents upto 24th March (midnight) 1971. The updated NRC shall contain names of persons eligible for inclusion in updated NRC by virtue of being original inhabitants of Assam.