Former Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has criticized the National Register of Citizens (NRC) Assam website and helpline for serious malfunctions. Saikia encountered technical and administrative issues while trying to access his NRC details through the website’s “Know Your ARN” section.
Saikia mentioned that despite being directed to the state helpline number 15107 for assistance, his repeated calls went unanswered. He also highlighted an incident where a call made to the toll-free number for outstation callers was diverted to a veterinary hospital in Shillong.
Questioning the accountability of authorities, Saikia emphasized the necessity for a functional NRC infrastructure given the significant public expenditure on the NRC updating exercise. He expressed concerns over the poor functioning of digital infrastructure and telephone support systems despite substantial financial investments in the process.
Saikia stressed the importance of easy access to NRC documents for legal and administrative purposes by Assam residents. He raised doubts about the state government’s commitment to the NRC’s significance due to the alleged neglect of the website and helplines. Saikia urged the Chief Secretary to investigate the matter promptly, restore the website’s functionality, fix the helpline system, and ensure adequate support for citizens requiring NRC-related services.
