In a renewed effort to combat illegal immigration, the Assam government has pushed back 330 individuals identified as illegal immigrants, according to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. This action, revealed in the Assembly on June 9, is based on the Immigrants Expulsion from Assam Act of 1950 and follows a significant Supreme Court ruling in 2024 that upheld 1971 as the cut-off year for citizenship in the state.
During a session addressing a Special Mention from Opposition Leader Debabrata Saikia, Sarma explained that the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision empowers the state to act directly in immigration cases without involving the Foreigners Tribunal. He noted, “The apex court said that the 1950 Expulsion Act remains valid and operative,” indicating a shift in how the state handles issues of illegal immigration.
Responding to Saikia’s inquiries about whether any of those pushed back had returned, Sarma confirmed that none of the 330 individuals have come back. He mentioned that while some were sent back despite having pending High Court cases, efforts were made through various diplomatic channels to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s directives.
The Chief Minister also addressed his government’s plan to issue NRC rejection slips, attributing delays to a Supreme Court order from 2019 that required secure handling of NRC data. A central agency is currently managing this data through an Information Security Management System, with completion expected within 8 to 12 months.
Sarma expressed concerns about the reliability of the final NRC list, citing instances of fraudulent registrations and name duplications. “We don’t consider the current NRC to be final. We’ve requested the Centre and the Supreme Court to allow a sample re-verification-20% in border districts and 10% in others,” he said. He emphasized that restoring public faith in the NRC is crucial, a sentiment echoed by the All Assam Students’ Union, which has called for a revised NRC.
Citing the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Rafikul Haque vs Union of India case, Sarma pointed out that mere inclusion in the NRC does not provide legal protection against being declared a foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunal. “The SC has clearly stated that inclusion in NRC has no bearing on the Tribunal’s verdict. So, we will continue the detection process even if the person is listed in the NRC,” he stated.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment, Sarma reiterated that under the Illegal Expulsion Act, a Deputy Commissioner can push back individuals believed to be foreigners without needing to involve the Tribunal.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/assam/1950-expulsion-act-back-in-force-as-assam-pushes-back-330-illegal-immigrants-1580391
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Publish Date: 2025-06-09 13:36:00
