Assam orders expulsion of two more declared foreigners under 1950 law

The administration in Assam’s Biswanath district has ordered two declared foreigners to leave the state within 24 hours, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday.

The orders were issued by the district administration under the 1950 Immigrants Expulsion from Assam Act.

The Act grants power to district commissioners and senior superintendents of police to expel “illegal migrants” from the state by bypassing the foreigners tribunals.

The order, dated December 20, named Asmul Khatun and Afuja Begum, stating that they were declared foreigners by the Foreigners Tribunal in 2005, The Indian Express reported.

It added that being a declared foreigner, Khatun and Begum’s “presence in India/state of Assam” was “detrimental to the interest of general public” and “internal security of the state”, the newspaper reported.

The order directed them to leave the state through the Dhubri, Sribhumi or South Salmara-Mankachar routes. This effectively requires the two to leave the country.

Biswanath Superintendent of Police Ajagwran Basumatary told The Indian Express that the women are being detained at the Matia Transit Camp in Goalpara district.

“Their deportation is under process and will be undertaken in due time after receiving the green signal from the Border Security Force,” Basumatary was quoted as saying.

Similar orders were issued against 15 persons in Nagaon district on December 17, and against five persons in Sonitpur district on November 18.

In September, the Assam Cabinet approved the framing of a standard operating procedure under...

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