The Ministry of Home Affairs has amended the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order of 1964 to empower all states and union territories to set up Foreigners Tribunals. The Tribunals, previously only established by the central government, are quasi-judicial bodies that determine if a person staying in India illegally is a foreigner. District magistrates can now constitute these tribunals to detect, detain, and deport foreign nationals illegally residing within their jurisdiction. Foreigners found staying illegally can be imprisoned for 3 months to 8 years and deported after serving their sentence.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has amended the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order of 1964 to empower all states and union territories to set up Foreigners Tribunals. The Tribunals, previously only established by the central government, are quasi-judicial bodies that determine if a person staying in India illegally is a foreigner. District magistrates can now constitute these tribunals to detect, detain, and deport foreign nationals illegally residing within their jurisdiction. Foreigners found staying illegally can be imprisoned for 3 months to 8 years and deported after serving their sentence.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has amended the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order of 1964 to empower all states and union territories to set up Foreigners Tribunals. The Tribunals, previously only established by the central government, are quasi-judicial bodies that determine if a person staying in India illegally is a foreigner. District magistrates can now constitute these tribunals to detect, detain, and deport foreign nationals illegally residing within their jurisdiction. Foreigners found staying illegally can be imprisoned for 3 months to 8 years and deported after serving their sentence.
Ministry amends order, empowers district magistrates Vijaita Singh cide whether a person stay- port Act, 1920, or the Fo- New Delhi ing illegally in India is a reigners Act, 1946, with the With Assam’s National Regis- foreigner or not. Earlier, the punishment ranging three ter of Citizens as the back- powers to constitute tribu- months to eight years in jail. drop, the Ministry of Home nals were vested only with Once the accused have Aff airs (MHA) has laid out the Centre. served the sentence, the specifi c guidelines to detect, The tribunals are quasi- court orders their deporta- detain and deport foreign judicial bodies, unique to tion, and they are moved to nationals staying illegally Assam, to determine if a per- detention centres till the across the country. son staying illegally is a “fo- country of origin accepts The MHA has amended reigner” or not. In other them. Last month, the MHA the Foreigners (Tribunals) parts, once a ‘foreigner’ has convened a meeting with re- Order, 1964, and has empo- been apprehended by the presentatives of all States on wered district magistrates in police for staying illegally, he the issue. all States and Union Territo- or she is produced before a ries to set up tribunals to de- local court under the Pass- CONTINUED ON A PAGE 12