Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Sunday that the state government will implement the National Register of Citizens, The Indian Express reported. Khattar met former state human rights commission chief and judge HS Bhalla, as well as Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “Jan Sampark” programme.

“Justice Bhalla had headed the Haryana Human Rights Commission besides holding various other positions,” Khattar told media persons outside Bhalla’s residence in Panchkula. “These days, he is working on NRC. I also said that we shall implement NRC in Haryana and sought his cooperation on how to implement it.” Khattar added that Bhalla suggested creating a state law commission in Haryana.

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Justice Bhalla confirmed Khattar’s claims. “Yes, I suggested the chief minister two things – NRC and State Law Commission in Haryana,” Bhalla told The Indian Express. “NRC is only in Assam, currently. So, he was of this view that in Haryana, there should also be NRC. Residents should be given a card that they are the genuine residents of the state.”

Haryana is set to hold Assembly elections later this year. Bhalla said it was likely that the Model Code of Conduct will be imposed in the state on Monday. The judge said that “things might come upon us” if the BJP returns to power in the state.

Later in the evening, Khattar said the state government was already in the process of issuing family identity cards. The same database will be used for the National Register of Citizens, he added.

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The final list of the National Register of Citizens in Assam, was published on August 31, and contained the names of 3.11 crore people. It excluded over 19 lakh people.BJP National President Amit Shah had said earlier this week that the Centre planned to expel all illegal immigrants from the country and not just Assam.

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