SC orders status quo on deportation, agrees to hear petitions

The Supreme Court ordered status quo on the deportation of five women declared foreigners by Assam tribunals and agreed to hear their appeals. The court directed that detainees not be deported until the next hearing while seeking responses from authorities

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday ordered status quo on the deportation of five women while agreeing to hear their petitions challenging the orders declaring them foreigners who allegedly entered into Assam.

A bench of justices Vikram Nath and V Mohana was hearing five separate pleas challenging orders of the Gauhati High Court.

In its order passed on two pleas, the bench said the petitioners, if they were in detention, be not deported till the next date of hearing on July 16.

The high court had rejected the pleas filed by the petitioners seeks quashing of the orders passed by the Foreigners Tribunal declaring them foreigners who had illegally entered into India from Bangladesh.

The apex court sought responses from the Centre, Assam government and others on all these pleas and posted them for hearing on July 16.

When one of the advocates appearing for the petitioners said the petitioners may be deported, the bench said, “In the meantime, status quo, as it exists today, shall be maintained.”