Guwahati, 27th July: The Supreme Court of India expressed concern over the deplorable conditions at a detention centre for declared foreigners in Assam’s Matia, flagging issues of inadequate water supply, poor sanitation, and lack of proper toilets.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih reviewed a report from the Assam State Legal Services Authority, which outlined the substandard facilities at the Matia detention centre. The report also failed to address the availability of food and medical services.
“We find that the facilities are very poor in the sense that there is no adequate water supply, there is no proper sanitation, there are no proper toilets,” noted the bench.
The Supreme Court has directed the Assam State Legal Services Authority to conduct another visit to assess the quality and quantity of food provided, the cleanliness of the kitchen, and the availability of medical and recreational facilities. A fresh report is to be submitted within three weeks, with the next hearing scheduled for September.
The court’s scrutiny follows a May 16 directive to the Centre, urging the immediate deportation of 17 declared foreigners held at the Matia detention centre, prioritizing four individuals who have been detained for over two years.
During the recent hearing, the Centre’s counsel acknowledged the instructions for deportation compliance but was asked to provide further details on the conditions at the detention centres. The petitioner’s counsel highlighted that some detainees have pending cases in the high court and stressed that deportation should not proceed until all legal processes are complete.
The court granted the Centre three weeks to respond to the concerns about deportation procedures, emphasizing that deportation should not occur before the completion of the legal process and seeking clarification on whether deportations are voluntary and if the Bangladesh government has agreed to accept the deportees.
The plea also calls for a directive to the Assam government to refrain from detaining individuals declared as foreigners by a tribunal unless there is proof of possible deportation in the foreseeable future.