Posted inNational News
Assam Government’s New Directive on Foreigners Tribunals and Border Policing
On July 5, 2023, the Assam government instructed its Border police to refrain from sending cases involving non-Muslims who entered India illegally before 2014 to Foreigners Tribunals (FTs). This directive aligns with the Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019, which offers a path to Indian citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan. Foreigners Tribunals, established under the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order of 1964 and operational in Assam, function similarly to courts and are tasked with adjudicating claims of foreign nationality. Currently, only 100 out of 300 approved tribunals are functioning. The Assam Police Border Organization, established in 1962 and reorganized in 1974, works in conjunction with the Border Security Force to manage illegal immigration and border security. Recent Supreme Court decisions have raised concerns about the FT system, highlighting issues such as procedural errors and justice miscarriages. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019, which amends the Citizenship Act of 1955, continues to be controversial, facing legal challenges and sparking nationwide protests.