SC transfers Assam NRC coordinator to Madhya Pradesh

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered transfer of Assam National Register for Citizens (NRC) coordinator, Prateek Hajela, to Madhya Pradesh.

The top court did not disclose the reasons. But it quickly clarified that it is not without reason or cause on being asked by Attorney General K K Venugopal.

"Can there be still a decision without reasons," the court told him.

A bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprising Justices S A Bobde and R F Nariman directed the authorities to pass orders for inter-cadre transfer of IAS officer Hajela to Madhya Pradesh, within seven days. As soon as the bench assembled, the CJI said, "We are assembling for a limited purpose. We are ordering transfer of Hajela to Madhya Pradesh."

Some lawyers connected to the matter said that Hajela himself has written a letter to the court, expressing threat perception to his life.

The court said the matter related to monitoring of its judgement for completing the exercise of finalising the National Register for Citizens in Assam would be taken up on November 26 before a bench of Justices Bobde and Nariman.

A final list of the NRC in Assam was published on August 31 as per the apex court's deadline. As many as 19 lakh people were excluded and 3.11 crore were included in the final list.