Amid the uproar over National Register of Citizens (NRC), Supreme Court on Tuesday said that no coercive action must be taken against those whose names are not included in the list. Pointing that it is a draft NRC, the top court said that it does not form basis of any action by the authorities.
The apex court has said that authorities will have to follow the legal process on the issue and give due opportunity to the residents whose names are left out of the NRC.
It further asked the central government to lay down the standard operating procedure on NRC and submit the same before the court for approval. The state coordinator of the NRC told the court that 37.59 lakh names have been rejected while 2.48 lakh names have been put on hold.
The next date of hearing on the issue is August 16.
This came after the government had justified its move by asserting that the draft NRC was released “under the supervision of Supreme Court”. Responding to opposition attack in Lok Sabha on Monday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said, "I want to ask the Opposition, what is the Centre's role in this? It is happening under the supervision of the Supreme Court. Such sensitive issues should not be politicised."
Claiming that the draft NRC is completely "impartial", the Home Minister had assured the residents whose names were not included that they do not need to panic over the same as they will get an opportunity to prove their Indian citizenship.
Names of over 40 lakh residents have not been included in the NRC that was released by the Assam government on Monday.
Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, have targeted at the Centre over the issue, claiming that it will have serious ramifications.
