Supreme Court slams Assam Govt: ‘Waiting for some Muhurat?’ on deporting ‘foreigners’

The Supreme Court sharply criticized the Assam government on Tuesday for its failure to deport declared “foreigners” from detention centers. A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan questioned why the government was delaying the deportations, asking, “Are you waiting for some muhurat?”

The court emphasized the need for immediate action, directing the government to deport these individuals to their respective countries. In response to the Assam government’s claim that the addresses of the detainees were unknown, the court dismissed the excuse. “You deport them to their foreign country. Are you waiting for some auspicious time?” the bench remarked, pointing out that once someone is declared a foreigner, the next logical step is deportation, not indefinite detention.

Justice Oka further questioned why the Assam government had not started deportation despite having knowledge of the individuals’ citizenship status. He stated that the government could not continue holding individuals indefinitely. The bench specifically addressed the 63 individuals currently in detention, ordering the government to initiate their deportation within two weeks and submit a compliance affidavit.

Justice Oka also told the Assam chief secretary that the government would never know the exact addresses of the foreign nationals. He stated that the other country should determine where the individuals should go. The court also criticized the lack of coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), pointing out that the Assam government’s charts did not indicate any communication with the MEA.

The Supreme Court’s firm stance underscores the urgency for the Assam government to act promptly on the deportation issue and uphold constitutional rights, particularly regarding Article 21, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty.