New Delhi: Those who are left out of the draft list of citizens in Assam can vote if their name is on the electoral rolls, a top election officer said Wednesday.
“They need not worry” for now, they can vote if their name is on the electoral rolls,” the officer said.
The ruling BJP is being targeted by the opposition after the new list or National Register of Citizens (NRC) excluded 4 million people from Assam in a drive against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
“Those left out of the Assam citizen’s list can vote if their names are in the voter’s list. The Election Commission will publish a voter list in January and will not wait for the final NRC,” Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat told.
The draft National Register of Citizens is the result of a years-long agitation by residents of Assam demanding expulsion of immigrants from Bangladesh just over the border.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had warned of “civil war and bloodbath”.
Agencies
