Assam Govt to Discontinue Services of 200 Additional Members of Foreigners' Tribunals

The Assam government on Friday decided to discontinue services of 200 additional members of Foreigners' Tribunals who were appointed to clear claims of the people who left out of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

In a notification issued by the Political department of the Assam government, it has been stated that - "The Governor of Assam is pleased to convey the approval for Forfeiture of services of the Members of additional 200 Appellate Foreigners Tribunals (who are presently attached to the existing Foreigners Tribunals) w.e.f. 23 September 2022 onwards.

"The utilization of services of the Members along with the 2000 posts of Ministerial Staff in 200 Appellate Foreigners Tribunals will be considered as and when the NRC gets notified," the official notification read.

More than 19.06 lakh people were left out of the updated NRC list which was published on 31 August 2019, and the left out people were given an option to move the Foreigners Tribunals to prove their Indian citizenship.

Assam at present has 100 Foreigners' Tribunals and 200 additional members were appointed by the government in 2019 and attached to the Foreigners' Tribunals in the state.

Earlier, on Thursday The Supreme Court granted two weeks time to the Centre to look into the issue raised in a plea seeking directions to issue Aadhaar cards to nearly 27 lakh persons who were added in the supplementary list of the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) published in August 2019.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit adjourned the matter for November 9 after Attorney General R Venkataramani sought time to seek instructions from the government.

The apex court in its order stated, "The AG is granted two weeks time to seek appropriate instructions in the matter. He may put in a note so that issues can be resolved on the next date".

"The State government of Assam and the Union of India are denying access to the biometrics of the individuals whose names have been incorporated in the supplementary list dated August 31, 2019, and are therefore not able to access the benefits as would they be entitled to by having an Aadhar Number," the plea said.

They would not be able to access the state-sanctioned schemes, subsidies, and benefits as the same requires mandatory registration under the Aadhar regime, the plea added.

(with inputs from ANI)

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