‘Suspected foreigners’ in Assam will have 10 days to prove they are citizens

Key Highlights:

• Assam Cabinet approved an SOP to implement the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 (IEAA).
• District Commissioners (DCs) can now issue notices to "suspected foreigners," requiring them to prove citizenship within 10 days.
• Failure to satisfy the DC will result in an evacuation order and deportation.
• This move aims to bypass the existing Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) for quicker identification and deportation.
• The decision follows a Supreme Court judgement on the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act.

Detailed Insights:

• The IEAA 1950 was enacted to address migration from East Pakistan after Partition, but its use was halted shortly after implementation.
• The Supreme Court's October 2024 judgement directed the effective use of the IEAA 1950 for identifying illegal immigrants post-1971.
• The SOP empowers DCs to act on information from various sources, potentially expediting the deportation process.
• The Assam government aims to streamline the identification of foreigners, reducing the role of Foreigners Tribunals.
• Section 6A of the Citizenship Act establishes March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for legal entry into Assam.
• Those entering Assam after the cut-off date are considered illegal immigrants and subject to deportation.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 (IEAA): Empowers the government to expel individuals deemed detrimental to public interest.
• Foreigners Tribunal (FT): Quasi-judicial bodies in Assam responsible for determining citizenship.
• Section 6A of the Citizenship Act: Defines citizenship criteria in Assam with a cut-off date of March 24, 1971.
• Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): A set of instructions to carry out complex operations.