New Delhi, Sept. 14: Delhi and Dispur today decided to improve the foreigners tribunal system and set simpler guidelines for NRC update for speedy disposal of cases on illegal foreigners.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi told Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde here today that 100 tribunals were required to speed up disposal of the cases.
While this may not fructify, the Centre is known to be working on a comprehensive plan to overhaul the tribunal system under provisions of the Foreigners (Tribunal) Amendment Order, 2012.
The tribunals will be expected to work in a scheduled manner and take up about 200 cases a day. “We would want them to take up different matters on different days, will give incentives for working on Saturdays and even introduce fast-track courts for the remaining cases,” a government source said. The Centre will provide funds for the incentives, the sources added. The plan to overhaul the tribunal system also means that the demand for 64 more tribunals may not be accepted for a variety of reasons, including a lengthy staffing process.
“I have requested for an amendment in the law to get judges from outside. We are working towards speedy disposal of cases,” Gogoi said after the meeting. Sources said there is no need to amend the Foreigners Act, as provisions exist to get retired judges from outside Assam.
Sources said the home ministry would approve new guidelines for updating the National Register of Citizens no later than Tuesday.
Gogoi said he had issued new guidelines for NRC update and had requested the Centre to approve it quickly, so that work on updating the NRC can commence “quickly”. Dispur has also designed a simpler form for the purpose.
The two leaders met at North Block a day after Shinde submitted a report on the Assam violence to the cabinet committee on political affairs.
The home minister today said he had briefed his cabinet colleagues about what happened in Assam since violence began in the Bodoland Territorial Areas District in the last week of July. He, however, did not repeat that he had also mentioned in his report that all is actually not well in the state, so steps need to be taken.
Gogoi briefed Shinde on the situation in Kokrajhar and Chirang. The fact that the situation has improved means a relieved Gogoi can get on with NRC update.
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