Guwahati, March 23: The Supreme Court has directed the Assam government to submit a detailed status report by April 30, 2025, on the deportation of declared foreigners, following the state’s submission that 13 Bangladeshi nationals have been repatriated and further deportations are being expedited. The matter will be reviewed in the next hearing scheduled for May 6, 2025.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan made the observations while hearing a petition related to the detention and repatriation of individuals identified as foreigners by the state’s Foreigners Tribunals. The court also sought an update on individuals whose nationality remains undetermined despite being declared non-Indian. The Union government has been given until the end of April to file a response on this issue.
During the hearing, the Solicitor General placed on record a 2018 order by the Foreigners Tribunal in Morigaon, which had declared an individual, Naba Kumar Barua alias Anik, as a foreigner. Acknowledging concerns over due process, the court set aside the tribunal’s ruling and directed that Barua be given a fresh opportunity to present his case. He has been ordered to appear before the tribunal on April 21, 2025, to submit his documents and arguments.
The Supreme Court further directed the Assam State Legal Services Authority to provide legal assistance to detainees seeking to challenge tribunal rulings. It also clarified that pending cases before the High Court regarding similar issues should proceed independently without being affected by the ongoing proceedings in the Supreme Court.
In a related matter, the court has sought responses from the Union of India and the Chief Election Commissioner regarding another pending petition. The deadline for filing counter-affidavits has been set for two weeks, with the case scheduled for hearing on April 9, 2025.
Read: Notorious gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria shifted to Assam’s Silchar Jail
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