Assam pushes back 303 foreigners, plans more deportations without NRC reference: CM Sarma

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 9, 2025

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday announced that 303 foreigners have been deported from the state under the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, and that 35 more are awaiting deportation once floodwaters recede.

Sarma said the government will continue this process without relying on the National Register of Citizens (NRC), empowered by a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows deportation without referring cases to Foreigners Tribunals.

Speaking during a discussion on a motion brought by Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia on the NRC, Sarma stated, “Deportation will now be a reality. No matter whether their names are in the NRC or not, if district commissioners suspect someone to be a foreigner, they can push them back without going to a Foreigners Tribunal.”

Sarma informed the Assembly that nearly 30,000 people in the state, who have been declared foreigners by Foreigners’ Tribunals, are now at the final stage of deportation. These individuals have not filed appeals against their tribunal orders, even after more than five years since the verdicts were issued.

Sarma stated that the state government is currently acting in accordance with the directives of the Supreme Court, which has asked for accelerated deportation of declared foreigners.

However, he also clarified that individuals who have challenged their ‘foreigner’ status before the Supreme Court or the Gauhati High Court will not be deported at present. Their cases remain sub judice, and the state will comply with legal procedures in such instances.

Referring to the group of 30,000 individuals, Sarma explained that since no legal appeal has been made within the stipulated time, the judgements in these cases have attained finality. As a result, their deportation is considered legally valid and enforceable.

Sarma emphasized the revival of the 1950 Expulsion Act in Assam and criticized manipulation in the NRC process. “Many individuals have made it into the NRC by faking legacy data, even some declared foreigners by tribunals. It’s a conspiracy against Assam. We’ve documented everything,” he said, adding that over 2,600 Facebook accounts linked to Islamabad and Riyadh were found pushing such manipulation.

Saikia, while supporting the relevance of the NRC in identifying and deporting illegal immigrants, accused the government of lacking clarity by repatriating 65 individuals previously pushed back to Bangladesh. He called for the immediate release of the final NRC and the issuance of acceptance or rejection slips.

In response, Sarma said the state does not accept the existing NRC as final. “We’ve asked the Supreme Court and the Centre for permission to reverify the list. We’re proposing 20% re-verification in border districts and 10% in other areas. If no anomalies are found, we’ll proceed with the list,” he said.

The Chief Minister stated that NRC data security is currently being handled by a central agency, and the process will be completed in 8 to 12 months. Only after that will slips be issued.

Citing earlier leaders’ actions—including those by former CMs Bimala Prasad Chaliha, Bishnuram Medhi, Gopinath Bordoloi, and Tarun Gogoi—Sarma positioned the current government’s deportation efforts as part of a historical continuum. “We are taking this process to the next level,” he declared.

Sarma reiterated that no genuine Indian citizen who arrived after March 25, 1971, will be deported. He said the NRC will no longer be the primary reference for identifying foreigners and district commissioners will be empowered to act under the law.

“We are also sending a message to Bangladesh not to encourage further influx into Assam,” the Chief Minister added.

Earlier, Saikia said the NRC remains a crucial tool for identifying and deporting foreign nationals from Assam. He criticized the state government for its contradictory approach, pointing out that 65 individuals who had already been pushed back to Bangladesh were later brought back. Saikia demanded that the final NRC list be published without further delay and that rejection slips be issued to those whose citizenship status remains in doubt.