New Delhi: The Supreme Court heard a petition filed by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and the All Assam Minorities Students’ Union (AAMSU) on August 10, 2026, seeking implementation of the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam and the issuance of National Identity Cards to citizens already included in it.
The case came before a two-judge bench comprising Justice S. M. Narsimha and Justice Alok Aradhe. Neither the Central Government nor the Assam Government had filed their responses despite earlier court notices. The bench granted the governments six additional weeks to file their replies and adjourned the hearing accordingly.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, informed the court that the Registrar General of India had already filed a response to the Jamiat’s petition, and that the Jamiat would soon file a rejoinder. He drew particular attention to the fact that six years have passed since the publication of the final NRC, yet National Identity Cards remain unissued to those whose names appear in it.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani responded sharply to the day’s proceedings. He said the failure of both governments to file responses on time, combined with the six-year delay in completing the legal process, points to a deliberate attempt to keep the citizenship issue alive for political purposes.
Maulana Madani said communal forces in Assam have repeatedly used the citizenship issue to brand Muslims as foreigners and fuel social tension. He cited past disputes over Panchayat certificates, cut-off dates for citizenship, and attempts to shut down madrasas as examples of how the community has faced targeted pressure. On each occasion, the Jamiat stood with those affected and fought their cases through the courts.
He added that the Assam state government is pursuing a politics of discrimination and pursuing an anti-Muslim agenda, and that deliberately withholding identity cards from NRC-verified citizens serves that political agenda.
Maulana Madani said completing the NRC process in accordance with the law is essential for restoring peace in Assam and for upholding constitutional principles of equality, fraternity, and the rule of law.
The Jamiat’s engagement with the Assam issue spans 14 years. Under Maulana Arshad Madani’s guidance, Maulana Mushtaq Anfar, President of Jamiat Ulama Assam, has pursued key cases relating to the NRC, Panchayat Certificates, and Section 6A. The stakes have been high. Had communal elements succeeded in their objectives, estimates suggest the citizenship of hundreds of thousands of Muslims could have been placed at risk.
Story by India Tomorrow
