Final draft to be released today

The final draft of a list of Indian citizens in north eastern state of Assam will be made public today amidst anxiety among Muslim migrants from Bangladesh.

Hundreds of central paramilitary and state police personnel have been deployed across Assam and neighbouring states to prevent any possible untoward incident following the publication of the NRC.

District Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police directed to maintain a strict vigil, a senior police official said. Vulnerable areas have been identified by SPs in their respective districts and the situation is being closely monitored.

The NRC will include the names of all Indian citizens who have been residing in Assam before March 25, 1971.

The draft National Register of Citizens will be published at noon across the state and applicants can check their names in the list which will include the applicant's name, address and photographs, NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela said.

Indian Home Minister Rajnah Singh and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has sought to allay apprehensions among the people over the list of citizens saying there is no reason to panic as there will be scope to get redressal for those whose names do not figure in it.  

Sonowal also said that no one, whose name does not figure in the list, would be declared a foreigner and directed the officials not to refer any case to the Foreigners Tribunal based on the NRC draft list.

Hajela has pointed out that there will be enough scope for claims by people whose names do not appear in the draft.