‘Citizens’ in Assam are in a tizzy. The deadline of July 31 for finalisation of the National Register of Citizens remains as the Supreme Court is firm it shall not extend it “even by a day.” 

To ensure the controversial process is completed, on Wednesday last, it gave Assam NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela a “free hand to exercise his wise discretion” while dealing with claims and objections of persons against exclusion or inclusion of the citizens in the draft NRC. 
Recall, the draft published on July 30, 2018 included 2.89 crore of the 3.29 crore people. 

The names of 40,70,707 people did not figure and of these 37,59,630 were rejected and remaining 2,48,077 on hold. 

Dealing with Hajela’s major problem of persons not pursuing their objections against inclusion of certain individuals in the draft, the court advised he must proceed ‘as per law’, plus gave him the liberty to approach the Registrar (judicial) during summer vacation for any urgent orders required. 

But he must minimise the ‘inconvenience’ to those who have been left out and filed claims, which is a tall order. 
The court has fixed 10 July for next hearing and a big question mark hangs whether the State would be able to do justice about the nagging issue of illegal Bangladeshi migrants.