Citizenship row: Legal initiative launched for comprehensive review of Assam NRC

By Nava Thakuria* 

The people of Assam are closely watching the Supreme Court’s recent decision to admit a petition seeking a comprehensive and time-bound re-verification of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updated in the state between 2014 and 2019. On 22 August 2025, the apex court issued notices to the Union government, the Assam government, the current NRC coordinator, and the Registrar General of India after receiving a writ petition filed by retired IAS officer Hitesh Devsarma. The plea seeks an error-free NRC and reflects ongoing concerns about the exercise.

The NRC, first prepared in 1951, was updated in Assam under Supreme Court monitoring following the 1985 Assam Accord, which fixed 25 March 1971 as the cut-off date for detecting undocumented migrants. The process was initiated after a PIL by Assam Public Works. Over 50,000 government employees and nearly 6,000 temporary workers were engaged in the exercise, with expenditure reportedly crossing Rs 1,600 crore. A draft list was published in July 2018, followed by a supplementary list in August 2019, excluding 19 lakh out of 3.3 crore applicants. However, the list has yet to be formally notified by the Registrar General of India.

The process has been marred by allegations of irregularities. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in its 2020 report, pointed to financial irregularities of over Rs 260 crore and recommended action against officials and contractors, including the system integrator Wipro. Devsarma, who served as NRC coordinator after 2019, also raised concerns about corruption, procedural lapses, and the inclusion of ineligible names. He has sought investigations by agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the National Investigation Agency. Several complaints have been filed, though only one has been formally registered so far, following a court directive.

Political leaders too have expressed reservations. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has called the list “faulty” and argued for corrective measures, stating that the indigenous population of Assam deserves a credible and error-free register. Citizen forums such as the Patriotic People’s Front Assam have echoed these demands and sought fair investigations into corruption allegations, including alleged wage deprivations faced by temporary data entry workers.

At the same time, a section of civil society has argued against further delays, noting that the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of Clause 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, which recognizes the 1971 cut-off date. They contend that the NRC was prepared in line with this legal framework and should be implemented without re-verification.

Media and public discourse on the issue remain divided. While some groups have highlighted procedural flaws and alleged malpractices, others have emphasized the importance of finalizing the NRC to provide closure to a long and complex process.

The Supreme Court’s response to the petition and the subsequent actions by state and central authorities will shape the future of the NRC in Assam. For now, the debate continues over whether the existing list should be finalized as it stands or subjected to further verification to ensure its accuracy and credibility.

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*Senior journalist based in Guwahati