The Supreme Court sternly questioned the Assam government’s delay in deporting individuals declared as foreigners, using a sharply critical tone during Tuesday’s session. “Are you waiting for some muhūrat?” the justices inquired, expressing frustration over the indefinite detention of these individuals rather than processing their deportation.
Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, overseeing the case, emphasized the urgency of deporting those held once their status as foreigners is confirmed. The court criticized the Assam government for stalling the deportation process by citing the unavailability of the detainees’ addresses, dismissing it as an irrelevant excuse. “Once you declare a person a foreigner, then you have to take the next logical step. You cannot detain them till eternity,” Justice Oka stated, referencing Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the protection of life and personal liberty.
Currently, Assam hosts multiple foreigner detention centers, yet the rate of actual deportations remains unclear, prompting the justices to demand accountability and action from the state government. The Supreme Court has given Assam two weeks to initiate the deportation of 63 persons from these centers and to submit a compliance affidavit regarding the same.
