SC Issues Notice on Petition for Re-Verification of Assam NRC

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a petition filed by former Assam NRC Coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma seeking re-verification of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

A bench comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Atul Chandurkar took up the matter and issued notices to the Union Government, the Assam Government, the present NRC State Coordinator, and the Registrar General of India.

The petition has called for a comprehensive re-verification of the NRC process in Assam, arguing that large-scale irregularities had marred the final list. The apex court’s decision to entertain the plea has once again brought the politically sensitive NRC issue back into sharp focus.

The matter will be heard further after responses are filed by the concerned parties.

Speaking on the court order, Senior Advocate Manish Goswami said, “There were several concerns that the NRC contained several errors and was not error-free. In this regard, former Assam NRC Coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court. We highlighted the glaring discrepancies before the apex court, and our plea was for a complete re-verification of the NRC. This case is not directed against anyone; our only demand is for an error-free NRC, which is crucial from a national perspective as well. Today, the court heard our arguments, accepted the petition, and issued a notice for re-verification of the NRC.”

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