The Supreme Court has expressed grave concerns regarding the conditions at a detention centre for declared foreigners in Assam, highlighting severe deficiencies in water supply, sanitation, and medical facilities. The court’s criticism came yesterday as it reviewed a report from the Assam State Legal Services Authority concerning the Matia detention centre.
A Bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih noted that the report revealed poor conditions, stating, “The facilities are very poor with no adequate water supply, improper sanitation, and lack of proper toilets.” The court observed that the report did not address the availability of food or medical assistance.
The Bench directed the secretary of the Assam State Legal Services Authority to conduct an additional inspection to evaluate the quality and quantity of food provided, the cleanliness of the kitchen, and the presence of medical and recreational facilities. The court has requested a new report within three weeks and has scheduled the next hearing for September.
Earlier, on May 16, the Supreme Court had mandated the Centre to expedite the deportation of 17 declared foreigners from the Matia detention centre, prioritising those who have been detained for over two years. During Friday’s hearing, the Bench criticised the state of the facilities, questioning, “What kind of facilities are being managed here?”
The Centre’s counsel confirmed compliance with the deportation orders but was also instructed to gather information on the detention centre’s facilities. The petitioner’s counsel raised concerns about deporting individuals who may have pending legal cases, arguing that deportation should not occur before legal proceedings are concluded.
The court urged the Assam Government to ensure that no person declared a foreigner is detained without clear evidence of imminent deportation. The Centre has been given three weeks to respond to the issues raised regarding both deportation and detention conditions.
