Supreme Court to Revisit the Fate of Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants

The Supreme Court will revisit the issue of indefinite detention of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in India. This decision comes after the Centre requested additional input from the Ministry of External Affairs. The court had previously expressed concern about immigrants' prolonged detention despite completing their sentences.

The Supreme Court of India has scheduled a hearing for March 4 to address the prolonged detention of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. This move follows the Centre's appeal for more time to gather inputs from the Ministry of External Affairs, highlighting the broader implications of this sensitive issue.

Recently, the court, led by Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, reserved judgement after voicing concern over the continued confinement of immigrants who had already served their sentences. The Centre's solicitor general, Tushar Mehta, emphasized the necessity of further affidavits to ensure informed decision-making.

The origins of this case trace back to a 2013 petition from the Calcutta High Court, motivated by the plight of Bangladeshi immigrants detained under the Foreigners Act. As the Supreme Court prepares for the upcoming hearing, it grapples with the central question: Should these immigrants be deported immediately after serving their sentence?