GUWAHATI: The
Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha (ASM) - one of the stakeholders in the NRC update process - said documents pre-dating the first NRC from 1951 should have been admissible.
"The present NRC is being updated on the basis of the 1951 NRC ... It is the most reliable document as it is constitutionally approved and the date recognized for the entire country as the base year," ASM working president Motiur Rahman said. "Excluding the document of 1951 NRC is not justified. We have been saying that even documents prior to 1951 should also be allowed for updating the NRC," he added.
NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela had proposed that 10 documents out of the earlier 15 be accepted for filing claims and objections. While re-opening the filing of claims and objections, the Supreme Court said the process could begin by accepting 10 documents as valid and that it would take a call on it again in the next hearing on October 23.
The remaining five - including the 1951 NRC, pre-1971 voters' list, citizenship certificate, refugee registration certificate and ration card - have been put on hold. The ASM had earlier opposed the inclusion of refugee registration certificate for updating the NRC, saying that it was tantamount to "granting citizenship to refugees".
On Monday, parliamentary affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary informed the assembly that the state government had filed two affidavits in the Supreme Court seeking to retain all 15 documents for filing claims and objections.
The debate over the cut-off year for inclusion has been on for years. In 2012, the ASM, the National Democratic Front of Boroland (Progressive) and the Indigenous Tribal People's Front had challenged the constitutional validity of March 24, 1971 as the base year. The organizations wanted 1951 as the base year instead. The case is currently being heard by the constitutional bench.
The debate over the cut-off year for inclusion has been on for years. 
