New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed the deportation of four Muslim women from Assam who were declared foreigners by Foreigners Tribunals, granting temporary relief while their citizenship claims undergo further judicial scrutiny.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and V. Mohana issued notices to the Assam government, the Union government, and the Election Commission of India, seeking responses within four weeks. The order pauses the deportation process of Basiram Nessa, Musstt Nureza Begum, Saleha Khatun, and Sarbhanu Begum.
Among the petitioners is 50-year-old Saleha Khatun, who has been lodged in the Goalpara detention camp since March after a tribunal in Darrang declared her a foreign national. She told the Supreme Court that she had submitted multiple documents to establish her Indian citizenship, including pre-1971 electoral records carrying the names of her parents, NRC legacy data, voter lists, local certificates, and oral testimony. The tribunal rejected her claim, citing discrepancies in personal details and family records.
Sarbhanu Begum also challenged a tribunal order which, according to her petition, relied largely on spelling variations of her name across different documents. Her plea stated that supporting records and witness testimony were not given due consideration.
Musstt Nureza Begum argued that she was declared a foreigner through an ex parte order despite appearing before the tribunal after receiving notice. She said she was unaware of procedural requirements due to illiteracy and poverty.
Basiram Nessa informed the court that she had produced voter lists and local certificates linking her family to Assam residents before 1971. She alleged that the evidence was not properly assessed.
The Supreme Court’s interim intervention offers temporary protection to the four women as their appeals continue.
