Supreme Court Criticizes Assam Over Inadequate Foreigners' Deportation

The Supreme Court criticized the Assam government for its failure to deport detainees declared as foreigners, questioning delays due to lack of foreign addresses. The court emphasized immediate deportation to their respective countries, questioning indefinite detention at Assam's detention centers.

The Supreme Court has sharply criticized the Assam government for its inability to deport individuals labeled as foreigners, who have been detained indefinitely in state-run centers. During Tuesday's hearing, the court expressed dismay over the Assam government's reasoning for the delay, which cited unknown foreign addresses.

The apex court emphasized that once detainees are identified as foreigners, they should immediately be deported to their countries, regardless of missing address details, citing precedence and emphasizing Article 21 of the Constitution. The bench pressed for swift deportation of 63 known foreign nationals, demanding a status report within two weeks.

Adding to the quandary, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves highlighted that Bangladesh had refused to accept the detainees as citizens, with some claiming to be Rohingyas. The Solicitor General pledged to work with the Ministry of External Affairs to address the diplomatic challenge, while the court demanded a response on the issue by February 25.

(With inputs from agencies.)