Supreme Court Halts Deportation of Five Women Declared Foreigners in Assam

Guwahati: The Supreme Court issued an order on June 5 to maintain the status quo for five women facing deportation from Assam. The women had previously been declared foreigners by local tribunals after being accused of entering the country illegally from Bangladesh. Their petitions reached the apex court after the Gauhati High Court upheld the tribunal rulings.

A bench consisting of Justices Vikram Nath and V Mohan reviewed the separate appeals and issued notices to the Centre, the Assam government, and other involved parties. The court explicitly ruled that the women must not be deported until the next hearing. In instances where the petitioners are currently in custody, the court stated, "if the women were being held in detention, they should not be deported until July 16."

The judicial intervention followed arguments from legal counsel who raised concerns that the women could be removed from the country before their case could be fully heard. The Supreme Court scheduled the next hearing for July 16 to continue evaluating the challenges against the tribunal orders.