GUWAHATI: The Gauhati high court has directed the Assam government to take an early decision regarding a plea filed by 10 members of the Rohingya community, seeking either refugee status in India or deportation to Myanmar.
A bench of justices N Kotiswar Singh and Malasri Nandi issued the direction while recently hearing the petition filed by Saidur Rahman and others. The court also observed that the petitioners have been “languishing in jail” for the last seven years since the authorities concerned have not been able to arrive at a decision in this regard.
The court stated: “The plea of the petitioners is that either they be allowed to remain in India by granting refugee status or be deported to their country of origin, i.e. Myanmar. However, the authorities are not taking any decision in this regard and the petitioners are languishing in jail.”
The petitioners had been convicted for entering India without proper documentation and had subsequently served their sentences. They had approached the HC in 2017, seeking either refugee status or deportation to Myanmar.
The court has listed the matter for further hearing on Thursday.