Apex court slams govt of Assam on illegal migration

The Supreme Court on Tuesday castigated the Assam government for “dragging its feet” to take adequate steps to check influx of people from eastern border and deporting illegal migrants to Bangladesh.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman described an affidavit filed by a junior officer, with regard to actions initiated to comply with its December 17 directions, as highly unsatisfactory and vague.

Hearing a batch of PILs, the apex court had last year directed the Assam government to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC). It had also ordered the Centre to take immediate steps for “double-coiled wire fencing”, building of motorable roads, patrolling and floodlighting of the porous Indo-Bangladesh border.

As the court took up the matter to ascertain compliance of its directions, it noted that the affidavit filed by the Assam government did not spell out the measures taken so far. “Is the task force in place,” the bench asked the counsel representing the state government.

Since he failed to respond, the bench said, “The affidavit filed by the officer is highly unsatisfactory. We refuse to accept it. You have dragged your feets for years and years and still you are not doing anything.” Expressing “displeasure”, the court directed chief secretary of Assam to file a relevant affidavit within ten days detailing the measures taken in terms of its orders.