Supreme Court lists Sushmita Dev’s writ petition for hearing; MP argues NRC cannot derail Aaadhar enrollment in Assam

People in Assam who have submitted their biometrics for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are struggling to obtain their Aadhaar cards, as the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has been unable to generate cards due to locked biometric data since 2018. Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev who is also the former MP of Silchar, has filed a writ petition to the Supreme Court, urging the release of biometric data of applicants who have applied for inclusion of their names in NRC list.

Dev’s lawyer, senior advocate Biswajit Deb, appeared in the case titled “Sushmita Dev Vs Union of India and Others,” which is listed for hearing today before the Supreme Court. Dev argues that anyone who has lived in India for 182 days is entitled to receive an Aadhaar card, regardless of their citizenship status. She is requesting the government to release the biometrics and issue Aadhaar cards to those who have applied for inclusion in the NRC.

Speaking to our correspondent, Dev stated, “The Registrar General of India is not notifying the NRC. His omission cannot act to the detriment of the people. Even a foreigner from Italy or America who lives in Assam for 182 days can get an AADHAR card but someone who has lived for 20 years in Assam can’t get AADHAAR card if he has submitted his biometrics for NRC.”

Dev added, “They’re saying it’s a separate regime for the people of Assam but this argument is not right because other states of India won’t recognise any such separate regime. For a separate regime to work, the Central Government must issue a notification to say that it would be recognised across India.”

It remains to be seen if the justice hears the case and how the hearing progresses. However, Dev says she has been getting hundreds of calls from the people of Assam who are struggling because of this system at place.