SC orders Assam to submit deportation plan for 211 foreign nationals in Matia Transit Camp

Guwahati, Sept. 10: The Supreme Court has ordered the Assam government to submit a detailed deportation plan for 211 foreign nationals currently held at the Matia transit camp in Goalpara.

The Court stressed that deportation efforts must be a coordinated “joint effort” between the Union and state governments, responding to an affidavit filed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs which delegated the deportation authority to the state.

The directive came from a bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih on Monday, while hearing a petition regarding the deplorable conditions in Assam’s detention centres.

The Court, on July 26, flagged the poor state of these centres, citing issues such as inadequate water supply, sanitation, and toilet facilities, based on a report from the Assam Legal Services Authority.

The Court further noted that deportation requires diplomatic engagement between India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Bangladeshi government, as the foreign nationals are allegedly from Bangladesh.

It also directed the Supreme Court Registry to place the report regarding deportation efforts on record, allowing the Court to issue appropriate orders.

Justice Oka mentioned that the report provides specifics on the number of declared foreign nationals awaiting deportation, stressing the need for cooperation between the Union and Assam governments.

Both governments will need to coordinate deportation unless any individual refuses to return, the court said.

Earlier on September 3, the Assam government transferred 28 foreign nationals, including nine women, to the Matia transit camp from Barpeta district. The transfer was ordered by the Foreigners' Tribunal, which classified the individuals as foreign nationals.

The Matia transit camp, constructed at a cost of ₹64 crore, was initially designated a detention centre but later renamed a “transit camp” to adopt a more humane approach.

The first group of 64 foreign nationals was relocated to the camp in January 2023.