1. Assam government responds to Gauhati High Court directive with crash course for Foreigners’ Tribunals.
2. High Court’s order, issued on December 3rd, 2023, raised concerns about accuracy in identifying foreigners.
3. Substantial cases revealed individuals initially labeled as foreigners were later verified as Indian citizens.
Guwahati, Dec 13: In response to a significant directive from the Gauhati High Court, the Assam government is set to implement a crash course for members of its Foreigners’ Tribunals, specialized quasi-judicial bodies responsible for assessing the citizenship status of individuals suspected of being illegal immigrants in the state.
The Gauhati High Court’s order, issued on December 3rd, 2023, followed revelations that a substantial number of individuals previously identified as foreigners were later confirmed as Indian citizens.
The court expressed concerns about the accuracy of tribunal decisions and the processes leading to them, noting that about 85 percent of reviewed cases resulted in individuals being recognized as citizens, raising doubts about the initial tribunal judgments.
One highlighted case involved Forhad Ali from Bongaigaon, Assam, who was deemed a foreigner due to discrepancies in his father’s name across documents. The court emphasized that minor inconsistencies in names should not solely determine nationality and mandated a thorough re-examination of Ali’s records before a final decision.
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Responding to these findings, the High Court directed the Assam Home Department to conduct a comprehensive review of all orders passed by the Foreigners’ Tribunals.
The state home and political department are reportedly considering a crash course for tribunal members at the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam (NLUJAA), in Guwahati.
With approximately 97,000 pending FT cases, the home department must scrutinize decisions lacking sufficient justification or evidence analysis. The outcomes of this review are expected to be made public to ensure transparency and inform Assam residents about the issue of illegal immigration, which significantly impacts the state.
The proposed crash course for tribunal members aims to address shortcomings identified by the High Court.
By enhancing training and expertise, the Assam government seeks to improve the adjudication process, ensuring more accurate and fair determinations of citizenship. This initiative reflects a commitment to upholding individual rights and maintaining the integrity of the legal system in Assam.
