DIFFICULTIES NOTICED DURING THE VERIFICATION EXERCISE

People are getting notices to report at distant places for verification, and this is tough for the elderly, patients and the poor, according to NGO Citizens Rights Protection Co-ordination Committee

Most mismatches occurred because people did not offer complete, or correct, names of kin. This did not match legacy documents on the family, according to multiple investi- coming across individuals who have forged documents or bribed others to use their legacy data in a bid to have their names verified for the list.

An investigating officer in Nagaon spotted several cases in which people declared foreigners or Doubtful Voters (which would keep them out of the NRC list till cases are pending) tried to get through the verification by changing names.

“A woman confessed she hadn’t applied in her name, but a different one because she was on gating officers

Burden of proof is on applicant Investigators are coming across old and illegible documents There is no clarity on what will happen to those whose names do not make it to NRC lists Deportation has not been discussed with Bangladesh, and there are several cases where people declared “foreigners” are in detention camps

people out of 32.9 million verified as on January 31, 2018 Family tree mismatches encountered

Total number of hearings needed

Family tree mismatch hearings completed till March 15

investigation officers

Technical hold cases (those born after Citizenship (Amendment) Act, and in whose case either of their parent’s citizenship is under scrutiny.)

the list of Doubtful Voters,” said the officer, who did not want to be named.

“She had given a gaon (village) panchayat secretary certificate to prove her antecedents. It looked forged and is being investigated,” the officer added.

Incidentally, the NRC office will also have to verify gaon panchayat certificates shortly and that will be another extensive exercise.

Officials will have to scan 2.9 million of these certificates beginning April 2.