EC says electoral rolls, not NRC, will determine voters in Assam elections

GUWAHATI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) made it clear on Wednesday that those living in Assam whose names are missing from the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC), but are listed in the electoral rolls can vote in the assembly elections due in April-may this year.

“A union home ministry notification dated August 29, 2019 clearly stated {that} non-inclusion of a person’s name in NRC doesn’t amount to him/her being declared a foreigner. By implication, such persons remain in voters’ list and shall be eligible to vote until a decision is taken by the concerned tribunal,” said chief election commissioner Sunil Arora.

Around 1.9 million (of the 33 million applicants) were left out of the updated NRC published for Assam on August 31, 2019. The NRC was a list intended to identify legal residents and weed out illegal immigrants. Those left out of the updated NRC were given the option of appealing to foreigners’ tribunals.

“The NRC is yet to be notified and several matters related to it are still pending in Supreme Court. Hence, there is no question of our party reacting to the CEC’S remarks...,” said a BJP spokesperson.