Assam cabinet approves SOP for expulsion of foreigners, says CM Sarma

The Assam cabinet on Tuesday approved the standard operating procedure (SOP) for removal of foreigners under the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The district commissioner and the additional district commissioner of a co-district have been empowered by the Centre under the Act to serve a 10-day notice period to suspected foreigners to provide documents necessary to prove their citizenship, Sarma said at a media briefing here.

'If the DC or ADC is convinced that the person is a foreigner, the expulsion order will be issued on the 10th day itself,' he said.

This process will bypass the Foreigners' Tribunals (FTs), and be a much faster and easier way for the Assam government to push back foreigners, he said.

If, however, the official concerned cannot take a 'prima facie decision and is confused', the matter will be sent to the Foreigners' Tribunal, the CM said.

The decision to issue an SOP was taken following an order passed by the Supreme Court's constitutional bench, headed by Justice Surya Kant, and directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Sarma said.