NRC to be published before July 31: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday once again declared that the process for finalisation of National Register for Citizens in Assam must be completed on or before July 31. It could be a day earlier but not later, it said.

A special bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice R F Nariman allowed NRC coordinator, Prateek Hajela to use his discretion to proceed as per law if objectors do not appear.

He informed the court that the hearing related to consideration of objections on behalf of those left out have started from Tuesday but some of them did not appear.

"If they are not pressing objections, law will follow its own course. Remember, you have to finally publish the NRC on July 31, a day earlier but not later," the bench said.

The court also told him to exercise his discretion and keep the law in mind.

After going through a report filed by Hajela, the court said, "All that is required is process of finalisation of NRC to ensure publication of NRC on or before July 31."

The court put the matter arising out of implementation of its judgement, for further consideration on July 10.

It allowed the coordinator to make a mention before vacation bench if any urgent order was required.

The top court had on March 28 reserved its judgement on a batch of petitions filed by Abdul Kuddus and others. They asked whether a judicial determination of a person being foreigner, would stand superseded in case his or her name was included or excluded in the draft or final National Register for Citizens in Assam.

The court had then observed it can't create an appellate forum for those, declared as illegal foreigners by a tribunal, by using its extra-ordinary power under Article 142 of the Constitution.

Such persons can exercise their remedies under the Civil law or seek recourse under Article 226 when the executive action like deportation was followed on the direction of foreigners tribunal, it had said.