Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday issued a stern warning to illegal infiltrators in the state following the Assam Cabinet’s approval on Tuesday of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) under the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950.
The new SOP is designed to guide District Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) in identifying and expelling illegal migrants from Assam, aiming to curb the long-standing problem of illegal immigration from neighboring countries.
In a post on X, CM Sarma stated, “Illegal Infiltrators Beware! The Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 is in full force and any intruder detected in our territory will be promptly PUSHED BACK.” He emphasized that strict action will be taken with no compromises and that anyone caught near the zero line or within 12 hours of illegal entry will be immediately pushed back.
The SOP also mandates that the biometrics and demographic details of all detected immigrants must be recorded before deportation.
During the state cabinet meeting at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati, CM Sarma highlighted that the Supreme Court has empowered the Assam government to utilize the Act fully. “The Deputy Commissioner is empowered to evacuate anyone deemed a foreigner,” he said, adding that the new procedure allows the DC to give suspected individuals a 10-day period to prove citizenship. If the DC concludes that the person is a foreigner, an immediate evacuation or pushback order will be issued.
If the DC cannot reach a clear conclusion, the matter will be referred to the Foreigners Tribunal for further hearings. Sarma called the decision a landmark step, noting that such systematic enforcement of the Act has never been attempted before.
“Now, as the Supreme Court has clearly mandated, we are going to implement this act fully,” he asserted, signaling a rigorous crackdown on illegal immigration in Assam.
