Former Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) State Coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma has urged the Central Government to re-verify the NRC before publishing Census data for Assam. In a letter addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Sarma argued that the accuracy of the Census depends on ensuring that only eligible Indian citizens are included in the exercise.
Sarma alleged that the supplementary NRC list published in 2019 contained significant discrepancies, claiming that some ineligible individuals were included while many genuine residents were excluded. He stated that he has repeatedly raised these concerns with the authorities and has also filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking a comprehensive re-verification of the NRC. According to him, the petition has been admitted for hearing.
Referring to the Census scheduled to begin in August 2026, Sarma said the enumeration process should accurately reflect the state’s legitimate population. He expressed concern that any inaccuracies in the NRC could affect the reliability of Census figures and have wider implications for administrative planning and public policy.
In his letter, the former NRC coordinator requested the Centre to withhold the publication of Assam’s Census data until the NRC verification process is completed and the records are updated in accordance with the final outcome. The matter is now expected to remain under legal and administrative consideration as the Census exercise approaches.
