Gauhati HC directs Assam govt to review orders of Foreigners' Tribunals as 85% proceedees declared Indians

Guwahati, Dec 3: The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam Government to review the decisions made by the foreigners’ tribunals in the state after it was revealed that nearly 85% of cases reaching the foreigners’ tribunals concluded with the individuals being declared as Indians.

The directive follows a case where Forhad Ali, a resident of Bongaigaon in Assam, was deemed a foreigner by a tribunal due to variations in his father’s name across different documents.

The court underlined the need for a departmental review of tribunal responses declaring individuals as citizens, stating that minor name discrepancies should not be the sole basis for foreigner status.

The High Court expressed concern over instances where individuals may have been incorrectly identified as foreigners without thorough analysis. The court mandated the Home Department to furnish tribunal verdicts based on a randomised sample.

Additionally, the government was directed to take appropriate measures where orders were passed without proper analysis, with results made public, to address the broader issue of illegal immigrants affecting the state.

Meanwhile, the case of Ali, has been sent back to the foreigners tribunals by the High court, instructing a re-examination of all records, including voter lists, before reaching a final verdict.