NRC: List of options for those excluded

Thefinal list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam has been releasedon Saturday, that excluded 19,06,657 people. As per the direction of the UnionHome Ministry, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has assured that those whose nameshave been excluded from the NRC will get an opportunity to file their appealand be heard in the Foreigners' Tribunal (FT).

Those who are excluded from final NRC, here's a list of options:

• A person can file an appeal in a Foreigners Tribunal (FT) if his/her name does not figure in the list. The time limit to file an appeal has been extended from 60 to 120 days.
• The home ministry had planned to set up a total of 1,000 foreigners' tribunal in phases. As of now, 100 foreigners tribunals are functioning. 200 more will be set up in the first week of September.
• If a person loses a hearing in an FT, he/she can approach the High Court or move to the Supreme Court.
• People who are excluded from the final list of NRC would not be immediately declared as foreigners as only an FT has the right to declare a person as foreigner.
• No one can be put into detention centres until all legal options get exhausted.

CM Sonowalassured people that the state government will provide legal aid to poor peoplein their fight against exclusion from the NRC so that they can pursue theircases in foreigners' tribunals and in higher courts.