The publication of the final National Register of Citizens should under “no circumstances” be stretched beyond July 31 this year, the Supreme Court said on Thursday, turning down requests for an extension from the Assam government and the NRC coordinator in view of the general election.

“In no circumstances, the publication of the final NRC should be stretched beyond 31st July, 2019. Insofar as the deployment of government staff, currently engaged in NRC work, for election duty is concerned, we are of the view that both processes — preparation of final NRC and election — should receive equal importance and proceeded with simultaneously,” Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said.

CJI Gogoi and Justice R.F. Nariman, the other judge on the bench, made it clear that both the election process and the NRC work are crucial and should move ahead unhindered.

The court asked solicitor-general Tushar Mehta to convene a meeting of the Election Commission secretary, Assam chief secretary and the NRC state coordinator, Prateek Hajela, to chalk out within a week a strategy to spare staff engaged in NRC work for the elections without affecting the publication of the register. Mehta appeared for the Assam government.

The court directed Mehta to file a report within seven days and decided to hear the matter next on February 5.

Both Mehta and Hajela had pleaded for an extension.

Mehta said the Election Commission was an independent body and the state could not prevent it from seeking the services of Assam government staff for poll-related work.

Gogoi then said the court would seek the presence of the poll panel secretary to get his views.

Mehta said the state and the coordinator would try to sort out the issue with the poll panel and report to the court after a week, following which Justice Gogoi made it clear the July deadline was sacrosanct.

On claims for inclusion in the NRC, the court left it to coordinator Hajela to adopt “just, proper and appropriate” methods to ensure the final list is published by July 31.

The court said a minimum of 15 days would be given to claimants before the hearing to enable them to be present.

The judges accepted a suggestion from attorney-general K.K. Venugopal that officials involved in eliminating names should not handle fresh claims.