Supreme Court Halts Deportation of Women Declared Foreigners

The Supreme Court has temporarily stayed the deportation of Saleha Khatun and Sarbhanu Begum, both declared foreigners by a tribunal in Assam. The women contest this decision, arguing inadequate examination of evidence regarding their Indian citizenship. The case is set for further hearing on July 16.

On Friday, the Supreme Court intervened in a case involving the potential deportation of two women, Saleha Khatun and Sarbhanu Begum, who have been detained as foreigners by a tribunal in Assam. Currently held in the Goalpara Detention Centre since March 2026, the women's status has sparked legal battles challenging their classification as foreigners.

A vacation bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and V. Mohana has issued a notice to the Union Government, seeking its response on petitions filed by four women, including Khatun and Begum, demanding a thorough review of the tribunal’s ruling. The apex court has stayed the deportation of the two detainees until a subsequent hearing on July 16.

Both Khatun and Begum contest the tribunal's findings, claiming they have provided ample documentary and oral evidence demonstrating their ancestral ties to pre-1971 Indian records. Their counsel, Advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi, has argued that the tribunal overlooked crucial evidence and exaggerated minor discrepancies. The Supreme Court's temporary stay offers a reprieve to the detainees as the legal examination of their cases continues.