Assam's Bold Move: Speeding Up Deportation of Illegal Immigrants
Assam's Chief Minister Takes Action Against Illegal Immigration
Guwahati: On Monday, Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized the urgency of expediting the deportation of illegal immigrants to protect the rights of the indigenous population.
During a session in the Assembly, CM Sarma stated, “We will implement the 1950 law to remove illegal immigrants from the state. The Supreme Court has also approved this approach. Our administrative system will ensure Assam is free from undocumented immigrants.”
He further highlighted the importance of prioritizing the Assamese community's interests, declaring, “I identify as an Assamese first, and my role as Chief Minister comes second.”
The Assam government plans to invoke a lesser-known regulation from 1950, known as the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Order, to accelerate the deportation process, circumventing the traditional judicial route.
Earlier, CM Sarma had indicated that the identification and expulsion of 'foreigners' would now occur more swiftly, following delays linked to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) issues.
He remarked, “If someone is identified as a foreigner this time, we won't need to go through the foreigners’ tribunal to initiate their removal.”
Citing a previous Supreme Court ruling regarding Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, he noted that the court clarified that the Assam government does not need judicial consent for every deportation.
He referred to the 1950 Immigrants Expulsion Order, which he asserted empowers district commissioners (DCs) to issue deportation orders without needing judicial approval. “Our legal team had not informed us about this provision earlier. We have recently discovered it and are now taking it seriously,” he explained.
The Chief Minister confirmed that deportations have already commenced under this new strategy, although individuals with ongoing court cases remain unaffected.
This initiative represents a significant shift from the previous reliance on foreigners’ tribunals—quasi-judicial entities that determined the status of suspected undocumented immigrants. Previously, those labeled as 'foreigners' by these tribunals had the right to appeal in the High Court and Supreme Court.