HT Digital
September 19, Thursday: In a significant development, the Assam government has unfrozen the biometrics of around 9 lakh individuals. This move comes as a part of efforts to facilitate those seeking to appeal their exclusion from the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The unfreezing of biometrics is expected to assist these individuals in processing claims for inclusion in the final NRC list.
The biometrics were originally collected during the NRC update process in 2019, which aimed to identify citizens of Assam while excluding illegal immigrants. However, due to legal challenges and concerns about wrongful exclusions, several people’s biometrics were frozen, stalling their ability to appeal for inclusion.
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The latest decision is expected to ease the appeals process by restoring access to these biometrics, thereby helping those excluded from the final list, who can now submit their claims without delays.
Out of the 3.3 crore applicants in Assam, approximately 19 lakh individuals were excluded from the final NRC list released in August 2019. The NRC update process has been mired in controversy, with claims of genuine citizens being left out and alleged discrepancies in the verification process. Many individuals had expressed frustration over the lack of access to their biometrics, which had complicated their legal battles.
This recent move is seen as a crucial step forward in the ongoing NRC issue, providing much-needed relief to lakhs of families. The unfreezing will also expedite the process of finalizing Assam’s NRC and potentially bring an end to the prolonged legal uncertainties surrounding the list.
