SC halts deportation of five women declared foreigners by Assam tribunal

The Supreme Court on June 5 ordered that the status quo be maintained in the cases of five women challenging orders that declared them foreigners and accused them of illegally entering Assam from Bangladesh.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and V Mohan heard separate petitions against judgments of the Gauhati High Court, which had upheld orders of the Foreigners Tribunals declaring the women foreigners.

While issuing notices to the Centre, the Assam government and other respondents, the apex court directed that the petitioners should not be deported until the next hearing. In two of the cases, the court specifically said that if the women were being held in detention, they should not be deported until July 16.

The court's intervention came after counsel for the petitioners expressed concern that the women could be deported before their appeals were heard. Responding to the submission, the bench ordered that the existing situation be maintained.

The petitions seek to overturn the tribunal orders that classified the women as illegal migrants from Bangladesh. The Supreme Court has listed all the matters for further hearing on July 16.