NRC necessary, Centre tells Supreme Court

New Delhi: The affidavit filed by The Ministry of Home Affairs in the Supreme Court on Tuesday stated that preparation of NRC is a “necessary exercise for any sovereign country”.  

Because it is important “for mere identification of citizens from non-citizens.”

According to the affidavit, foreigners Act, 1946 gives the government the power to expel foreigners from India.

 “It vests the Central Government with absolute and unfettered discretion, and as there is no provision fettering this discretion in the Constitution, an unrestricted right to expel remains,” the affidavit says.

However, earlier speaking to a public rally in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi denied of having had any discussion on an NRC since his government had taken power in 2014.

Many states came down heavily on updating NPR scheduled to start on April 1.