The Supreme Court on Tuesday slammed the Assam government for keeping 63 persons, declared as foreigners, in detention centres "indefinitely". "Are you waiting for some muhurat (auspicious time)?" the apex court asked while ordering the state to start deporting these people within two weeks.
A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said once the detained persons are held to be foreigners, they should be deported immediately.
"You have refused to start deportation saying their addresses are not known. Why should it be our concern? You deport to their foreign country," the bech said, as per PTI.
"Once you declare a person foreigner, then you have to take the next logical step. You cannot detain them till eternity. Article 21 of the Constitution is there. There are many foreigner detention centres in Assam. How many have you deported?" the bench told the counsel appearing for the Assam government.
The bench was hearing a plea concerning the deportation of persons declared foreigners and facilities at the detention centres in Assam.
(This is a breaking story and will be updated soon.)