Guwahati, Jan. 31: The NRC authorities in Assam have sought help from different states to expedite the current verification process.

The State Coordinator of National Registration, Assam, here had received a huge number of documents such as PAN cards, passports, and birth certificates from neighbouring states like Tripura, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Bengal and Nagaland, from NRC applicants as proof of links with their forefathers.

"We have sought the help of the respective governments of these states to verify the authenticity of these documents. The Supreme Court has also been apprised about the matter. The court has asked chief secretaries of these states to coordinate with us and help in the early and effective verification of the documents," an NRC official told The Telegraph.

The NRC is being updated based on the National Register of Citizens, 1951, and electoral rolls up to the midnight of March 24, 1971. If an applicant's name isn't there on either of these records, then he/she must submit documents that are part of the list of admissible documents issued up to March 24, 1971.

The official said the NRC authorities have also undertaken steps to expedite the verification process, which is currently running behind schedule.

"We have instructed the deputy commissioners to get them involved in the NRC verification process. The deputy commissioners have been asked to be in constant touch with circle officers and field-level officials on a day-to-day basis to know the progress of the verification process. Such close coordination will easily solve many hassles that come in the way of the verification process and enthuse those involved with the process at the grassroots," the official said.

The NRC co-ordinator for Assam, Prateek Hajela, told the Supreme Court last week that he would try his best to complete the draft of the updated NRC by March 31.

The official said verification of the NRC forms submitted online would begin soon.

He said the process had not started because of certain technical problems.

Over 3 lakh people in the state have submitted their NRC applications online.

"Many online applicants, particularly those from Guwahati, have mentioned their ward numbers wrong in the NRC applications. This has created some confusion in locating the applicants and causing a delay in sending the applications forms to their respective seva kendras. Once the hard copies of application forms reach the seva kendras, the verification process will start," the NRC official said.

"We don't know what to do. When we asked booth-level officers of the NRC about the matter, they said they were not aware of it and said verification would begin only after they receive the online forms from the NRC head office," said Samiran Gogoi, a resident of Gandhi Basti area.