3 min readGuwahatiDec 19, 2025 08:13 AM IST
First published on: Dec 18, 2025 at 09:22 PM IST
Fifteen people from Assam’s Nagaon district who had been declared foreigners by tribunals in various years – from as far back as 1990 to more recently in 2021 – have been directed to “remove” themselves from India within 24 hours in an invocation of the 1950 Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act.
Nagaon Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka said the people are currently in the detention centre in Goalpara’s Matia and the process of their deportation will be undertaken on Friday.
The orders against these 15 people had been issued by Nagaon DC Devasish Sharma on December 17. Each order refers to the Foreigners’ Tribunal verdict declaring them foreigners and states that the authority is of the opinion “that being Declared Foreign Nationals, your presence in India/State of Assam is detrimental to the interest of the general public and also for the internal security of the State”.
Invoking the 1950 Act, the orders direct the individuals to “remove yourself from the territory of Assam, India. within 24 hours from receiving this order via the Dhubri/Sribhumi/South Salmara-Mankachar route”, ostensibly to Bangladesh.
The 15 are residents of different villages and towns in Nagaon district and had been declared foreigners by tribunals in different cases over the years.
“They had filed cases in the High Court, but the court did not uphold their plea. They will be removed in due course of time under the supervision of the SP,” said Sharma.
In September this year, the Assam cabinet had approved an SOP for the 1950 Act, which has been dormant since that year itself.
The IEAA 1950 was a legislation drafted by the Union Government of the time, following pressure from the then Assam government about the need for measures to check migration from then East Pakistan in the years following the Partition.
The Act stated that if the Central government was of the opinion that the stay of any person – who was ordinarily resident of any place outside India and had come to Assam either before or after the commencement of the Act – “is detrimental to the interests of the general public of India or any section thereof or of any Scheduled Tribe in Assam”, it could direct such a person to “remove himself or themselves” from Assam or India “within such time and by such route as may be specified in the order.” It states that the central government can delegate this power to any officer of the Central government or the Assam government.
The formal process of deportation entails a handover to the authorities of the other country after mutual verification that an individual is a national of the other country. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that its plan of action under the 1950 Act will also enable it to “bypass diplomatic channels.”
The first known invocation of this Act had been made last month by the Sonitpur DC, who had issued orders directing five people – who had been declared foreigners this year – to “remove” themselves. However, they could not be found at their village, with locals saying they had left years ago.
The 15 are residents of different villages and towns in Nagaon district and had been declared foreigners by tribunals in different cases over the years. (Source: File) 
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