NEW DELHI: In a relief to the residents of Assam who find themselves excluded from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be published on August 31, the Union home ministry will amend the citizenship rules to hike the time-limit for filing appeals in foreigners tribunals to 120 days from the existing 60 days.

The decision was taken at a review meeting on the NRC chaired by home minister Amit Shah here on Monday and attended by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and registrar general of India Vivek Joshi, among others.

“As it may not be possible for all those excluded from final NRC to file the appeal within the prescribed time, MHA will amend the rules to increase the present time limit of filing of appeals in FTs from 60 days to 120 days regarding exclusion from the final NRC. The Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, are also being amended accordingly,” the home ministry said in a release on Tuesday.

It was further decided that in order to facilitate the persons excluded from NRC, adequate arrangements will be made by the state government to provide full opportunity to appeal against their non-inclusion. Every individual, whose name does not figure in the final NRC, can represent his/her case in front of the appellate authority i.e. foreigners tribunals.

Under the provisions of the Foreigners Act 1946 and Foreigners (Tribunals) Order 1964, only foreigners tribunals are empowered to declare a person as a foreigner. Thus, non-inclusion of a person’s name in NRC does not by itself amount to him/her being declared as a foreigner, said the home ministry. In order to facilitate the persons excluded from NRC, adequate number of such tribunals is being established at convenient locations. It has been decided that state government would also make arrangements to provide legal aid to the needy people among those excluded from the NRC.

In order to maintain law and order situation, central security forces are being provided as per assessment of the state government.



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