The Supreme Court on Tuesday criticized the Assam government for its failure to deport individuals declared as foreigners, questioning the indefinite detention of these individuals in state-run detention centres. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan remarked, “Are you waiting for some muhurat (auspicious time)?” as it expressed concern over the delay in deportation.
The court emphasized that once a person is declared a foreigner, immediate deportation should follow, and that indefinite detention violates the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. The bench also rejected the Assam government’s claim that deportation could not begin due to unknown addresses, stating that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure deportation.
The court directed the Assam government to begin deporting 63 individuals currently held in detention centres within two weeks and to file a compliance affidavit. The case revolves around the deportation process and the conditions in the state’s detention centres.
