GUWAHATI: In response to a November 21 order by the Gauhati High Court, the Assam government is contemplating the implementation of a crash course for members of foreigners tribunals, which are quasi-judicial bodies responsible for determining the citizenship status of suspected foreigners residing in the state.
The decision comes following a petition filed by Forhad Ali, a resident of Bongaigaon, who was declared a foreigner by a Foreigners Tribunal (FT) in 2019 due to a mismatch in the spelling of his father's name in official documents, according to media reports. The high court, comprising justices Achintya Malla Bujor Barua and Mitali Thakuria, directed the state government to review FT orders and emphasised that minor variations in the spelling of names should not be the basis for concluding separate identities.
The 10-page order in the Forhad Ali case, made available on December 1, directed the state government to review FT orders that declared individuals as citizens without proper analysis, reasoning, or decision.
A crash course is reportedly being considered for FT members at the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam (NLUJAA) in Guwahati. The objective is to address concerns raised by the court regarding FT orders lacking proper analysis and reasoning.
As per media reports, an internal meeting led to the proposal for a crash course, and discussions will be held with the law university to finalise the course roadmap and duration. Currently, Assam has 100 FTs with 97,000 pending cases, and the proposed crash course aims to enhance the analytical and reasoning skills of tribunal members in adjudicating citizenship matters.