People who failed to make it to the final NRC can appeal to any of the FTs within 120 days from receiving the rejection order from the NRC authority.

Guwahati: In a significant move to facilitate an opportunity to those left out of National Register of Citizens (NRC). Assam government has started giving appointment to the selected judges (members) for the newly set up 200 additional Foreigners Tribunal and existing tribunal.

Pointing out that Gauhati high court had recently selected 221 judges for the Foreigners Tribunal, security sources in the state home department said that these judges are selectd for a period of one year.

“Of them 200 will be for the Additional FTs while 21 members have been appointed to fill up the vacancies in the existing FTs.” sources said while admitting that those 19 lakh people left out of NRC will have to procure rejection order to present their claims before the FTs.

Security sources said that 221 newly appointed members of the Additional FTs have been attached suitably to the existing FTs for a short phase so that they get acquainted with the FT processes.

“There will also be a two-day orientation programme for them at the Administrative Staff College in Khanapara from September 28,” security sources said.

Informing that government is also going to appoint 2,000 staffs for the additional FTs, security sources said that the Assam Police Recruitment Board (APRB) has already completed the interview process and results would be announced soon.

Asserting that government is planning to make the new 200 additional FTs operational by October this year security sources said that once they are activated, altogether 300 FTs would be functional across the state.

It is significant that ministry of home affairs has approved the 400 additional FTs out of which 200 are being set up in the first phase.

The responsibilities of these FTs are crucial in the post-publication phase of the NRC. People who failed to make it to the final NRC can appeal to any of the FTs within 120 days from receiving the rejection order from the NRC authority. If the left-out persons do not apply by themselves then the respective district administrations are also authorized to refer such names to the FTs. After the hearings and close scrutiny of the relevant documents of the persons concerned, the FT members will have to deliver orders as to whether the persons are Indians or foreigners and whether appellant is eligible for inclusion in NRC or not.