Nagaland has decided to begin its own variant of the contentious National Register of Citizens (NRC), according to a report by The Hindu. Nagaland’s neighbouring state Assam is currently updating its NRC.
On June 29, Nagaland’s Home Commissioner R Ramakrishnan issued a notification over setting up of the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN). According to the report, the process is aimed at creation of a list of all indigenous people. It will also check the issuance of fake indigenous inhabitant certificates.
Beginning July 10, teams will be sent out to every village and urban ward. This will happen around 20 days before Assam is expected to publish its final NRC. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.
The RIIN exercise in will be monitored by the Home Commissioner. It has a 60-day deadline to collect information of locals and non-locals, the report adds.
The register will be prepared after a survey with the help of a village-wise and ward-wise list of indigenous inhabitants based on official records. The list will be prepared under each district administration’s supervision.
Every family member will be listed in the village of their original residence and would mention if any member lives away. Aadhaar number will also be recorded, if available.
On September 11, a provisional, or draft list will be published at the village or ward-level and on the government websites.
People whose name is left out, will have time till October 10 to file any claims or objections, the report suggests.
District Commissioners (DCs) will settle these claims and objections based on official records and evidence that is produced. The register will be finalised after the claimants are heard.
The reports cites officials as saying that they aiming to complete the process on or before December 10.
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-led government currently governs Nagaland. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is part of the ruling coalition. NDPP is a member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
On June 26, 1.02 lakh people were named in an additional draft exclusion list of the NRC in Assam. The exclusion list contains names of individuals who figured in the July 2018 draft but were subsequently found ineligible for inclusion in the final list.
A major controversy broke out in July 2018 when around 40.7 lakh were excluded from the draft NRC. The draft NRC had names of 2.9 crore people.
The goal of the NRC project is to identify illegal immigrants in Assam. The process is being monitored by the Supreme Court of India (SC). The final list is expected to be published on July 31.