Supreme Court Lambasts Assam Govt For Not Deporting 'Foreigners'

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• Feb 4, 2025 | Parikalpita Gogoi

The Assam government claimed that the deportation process was delayed due to the addresses of the detainees were not known.

Digital Desk: The Supreme Court slammed the Assam government on Tuesday for holding the 63 foreigners in detention centres and not deporting them. A bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan questioned the Assam Government whether it is waiting for some muhurat(auspicious time). The bench directed the counsel appearing for the Assam government to act immediately in deporting the detainees within two weeks and file a compliance affidavit.

The Assam government claimed that the deportation process was delayed due to the addresses of the detainees were not known. The top court dismissed the claim and directed the government to deport them to their respective cities.

According to a news agency, the bench said, "You have refused to start deportation saying their addresses are not known. Why should it be our concern? You deport them to their foreign country. Are you waiting for some muhurat ?"  

The bench added, "Once you declare a person a foreigner, then you have to take the next logical step. You cannot detain them till eternity. Article 21 of the Constitution is there. There are many foreign detention centres in Assam. How many have you deported."

Issuing a stern directive Justice Abhay S. Oka said that after detaining people as foreigners, they should be deported immediately. If the government knew the citizenship of the detainees then it should not wait for their address to receive. The other country must decide where the people should go.