SC asks ‘declared foreigner’ to move Gauhati High Court

GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court has allowed a declared foreigner woman to move Gauhati High Court with a review petition against a Foreigners Tribunal (FT) judgement.

A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde also permitted the petitioner to approach the Supreme Court again, challenging ‘the main order and the order passed in the review petition’, in case she fails before Gauhati High Court. The apex court has upheld the FT verdict.

The petitioner, Jasmin Begum, was declared a foreigner by an FT in Morigaon, in January, 2019.

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The FT ruled the woman foreigner after she could not establish her legacy to any Indian citizen who lived in Assam before March 25, 1971. The date concerned is cut-off date for eligibility to be included in the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The woman had produced a total of 11 documents, but none could prove her citizenship.

The FT ruled that the district authorities should “take necessary steps to deport her to the immediate territory”.