Gauhati HC flags record-keeping lapses in Foreigners Tribunals, asks Assam govt to provide training

The Gauhati High Court has raised serious concerns over the “haphazard” maintenance of records in Assam’s Foreigners Tribunals (FTs), urging the state government to consider training tribunal members and superintendents for better case management.

The observation came during the hearing of a writ petition filed by one Gobinda Saha, who had earlier been declared an "illegal foreigner" by a tribunal in Nagaon district. A division bench comprising Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Malsri Nandi later set aside the FT’s order after examining the case records.

While reviewing the tribunal’s documentation, the court noted multiple instances of mislabelled and overlapping exhibits. “All the exhibited documents, with overlapping as indicated hereinbefore, are not found to have been referred and discussed by the learned Tribunal,” the court noted, adding that the petitioner had likely not received adequate assistance from his counsel either.

Also Read: 'No cow qurbani in Hindu areas': Assam CM calls for surrender of main culprit in Dhubri beef row

The judges expressed dismay at the disorganised state of the records, which reportedly took over two hours to decipher with the help of private secretaries.

“Having seen the haphazard manner in which the records of Case No. FT 2451/2011 has been maintained, the court is inclined to direct the Registry to transmit a copy of this order to the Commissioner and Secretary to the Govt. of Assam, Home and Political (B) Department,” the bench said.

The court asked the department to consider conducting formal training programmes for FT members and superintendents on proper documentation practices. It also instructed that a copy of the order be circulated to all Foreigners Tribunals across the state.

Assam is the only state in the country with a network of Foreigners Tribunals — quasi-judicial bodies that determine the citizenship status of individuals suspected of being undocumented migrants.