Plea in SC alleges Assam's 'sweeping' deportation of suspected foreigners
What's the story
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court, alleging that the Assam government has started a "sweeping and indiscriminate drive" to detain and deport people suspected of being foreigners.
The plea was filed by the All BTC Minority Students Union through advocate Adeel Ahmed.
It refers to a February 4 order of the apex court which directed Assam to deport 63 declared foreign nationals whose nationality was known within two weeks.
Misinterpretation claim
Petition alleges arbitrary detentions under misinterpreted SC order
The petition claims that following the Supreme Court's February 4 order, the Assam government has reportedly launched a sweeping drive.
It alleges arbitrary detentions are now being carried out even in cases where individuals have not been declared foreigners by tribunals.
The plea also cites news reports of a retired school teacher allegedly "pushed back" into Bangladesh, highlighting a pattern of informal deportations without judicial oversight.
Border focus
'Push back' policy allegedly targets border districts
The petition alleges that the "push back" policy is being implemented in border districts such as Dhubri, South Salmara, and Goalpara.
It warns that this could lead to the wrongful detention and deportation of poor and marginalized Indian citizens.
The plea argues that this policy violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, which guarantee equality before the law and protection of life and personal liberty.
Legal intervention
Plea seeks SC intervention to halt unconstitutional deportations
The plea seeks direction from the Supreme Court to ensure no person is deported without a formal declaration by a Foreigners Tribunal and verification by the Ministry of External Affairs.
It also demands access to legal remedies for those facing deportation.
The petition calls for declaring Assam's current deportation mechanism unconstitutional and in violation of previous judicial precedents.