SC appoints court commissioner for checking influx of migrants in NE

Noting the Centre and Assam were “dragging its feet” in taking steps to check influx of people from eastern border and deporting illegal migrants to Bangladesh, the Supreme Court on Monday appointed senior advocate Upamanyu Hazarika as court commissioner to take on ground assessments and give a report by June 30.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Rahinton F Nariman also pointed out that the Gauhati High Court, which was told to appoint 64 Foreigners Tribunal in Assam, has not been able to perform its task. The court directed the High Court to take prompt steps in this regard by August 10.

On December 17, last year, the Supreme Court had directed for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. It had also ordered the Centre to take immediate steps for “double-coiled wire fencing”, building of motorable roads, patrolling, floodlighting of the porous Indo-Bangladesh border.

The court’s verdict came on a batch of petitions filed by NGOs Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha, Assam Public Works and All Assam Ahom Association contending that large influx of people from Bangladesh has resulted into to periodic clashes in the state.

Examining the compliance of the directions, the bench said, “The court is left with the impression that Union and the state have been dragging its feet in implementing our orders on border fencing at the Bangladesh border at Assam and other connected issues. Time has come for us to do something.”

Appointing Hazarika as court commissioner, the court directed the Centre to provide Rs 5 lakh to enable him perform the task. He would file his interim report within three weeks and final one by June 30.