SC expresses concern over illegal migrants lodged in detention centres in Assam for long

The Supreme Court Tuesday expressed concern over thousands of illegal migrants being kept in detention centres for years in Assam without being repatriated or deported to their countries of origin.

"Don't you think some explanation is called from state government as to why these people are detained for such a long period? Many of them have been detained for last 9-10 years. What is the justification," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

Mehta, who was appearing for the Assam government, said there was a need for evolving a mechanism for repatriating them and it should be done expeditiously.

The solicitor general explained the nitty gritty involved in dealing with the illegal migrants whose verification were done to determine their nationality before deporting them from the detention centres.

However, the bench also comprising justices L Nageswara Rao and Sanjiv Khanna raised several issues connected with the detention centre and said that the detainees cannot be held for indefinite period.

"For all these years, the living condition at the detention centre are far from satisfactory. People are detained for the last 10 years. You are unable to repatriate them," the bench said adding that "condition in the detention centre are sub-human and it is pathetic."
"If the country of origin does not take them back that is also a problem. How the government of India is going to handle such problem. If you have to send them to the country of origin you cannot allow them to remain free. You have to put them at a secure place. It is alleged that they are treated as sub-human," the bench said, adding "How can people have confidence in Assam government?"