Foreigners’ tribunals in all 33 districts of Assam soon

Those whose names were left off the NRC can appeal their cases before a foreigners’ tribunal, which are the designated bodies to adjudicate on whether someone is an illegal immigrant.

Assam government said on Monday that foreigners’ tribunals (FT) will be set up in all 33 districts of the state, and reiterated plans to constitute 400 more of such quasi-judicial bodies by the end of the year.

A Muslim woman checks for names in the final list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) on a printed sheet of paper in Pabhokati village in Morigaon district, in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. (AP)

The announcement comes two days after the final list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was published, and 1.9 million people were excluded.

Those whose names were left off the NRC can appeal their cases before a foreigners’ tribunal, which are the designated bodies to adjudicate on whether someone is an illegal immigrant.

Currently, there are 100 FTs spread over 26 districts, out of which 56 have been assigned as centres for submission of NRC appeals.

The Union home ministry had notified that appeals could be filed within 120 days of the publication of the final NRC
list.

Some important districts such as Majuli and Sibsagar don’t have a tribunal.

“We have decided that the 200 new foreigners tribunals will be spread over all the 33 districts, including some sub-divisions,” said Kumar Sanjay Krishna, additional chief secretary, home and political department.

“We have asked the deputy commissioners in the district to let us know their requirements depending on the numbers of appeals they are expecting,” he added.

Krishna further said that 200 new foreigners tribunals would come up in August.

“An additional 200 will be ready in the subsequent three months,” he said.

An earlier plan had said the 200 new tribunals would come up in just eight districts, including in state capital Guwahati.