SC pulls up Assam, says foreigners languishing in transit camps for 10 yrs
This story was originally published at 12:06 IST on 22 January 2025
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NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Assam government for not giving any justification for detaining 270 foreign nationals in transit camps and for not providing details on steps to deport them. The court said that some foreigners have been languishing in transit camps in the state for 10 or more years.
Not giving justification for their detention and failure to provide details on steps to deport them is in gross violation of the court's earlier order, the Supreme Court said. It directed the chief secretary of Assam to remain present virtually and explain the non-compliance. "We want justification, why these detentions are continuing without even the process of deportation starting?" the apex court said.
The court was hearing a petition by an individual, Rajubala Das, on the condition of detention centres--renamed as 'transit camps' in Assam--where individuals with doubtful citizenship and, hence, deemed foreigners are kept. In May 2024, the apex court had directed the Centre to take immediate steps to deport 17 declared foreigners who were detained in Assam's transit camps, considering no pending cases were registered against them. Earlier, the top court had directed Assam to file a comprehensive affidavit, giving the names of persons detained in the camps, documents justifying their detention, and steps taken by the state for deporting them.
On Wednesday, the counsel requested the court that the filed affidavit be enclosed in a sealed cover as it had the addresses of some of the foreigners. Permitting this, the court also directed the chief secretary to file an affidavit justifying the stand taken on confidentiality. "We want to know what will happen if the addresses of foreigners are divulged," the court said. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Namrata Rao
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