Allahabad High Court Issues Notice To Centre, State Govt On Plea To Identify & Deport Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants From UP

The Allahabad High Court has sought responses from the Central Government, the Election Commission of India (ECI), and the Government of Uttar Pradesh on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea seeking a comprehensive survey and verification drive to identify and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in the State. A Bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manish Kumar, while hearing the plea on Monday, directed the respondents, including the Director General of Police (DGP), Director General of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), and the Director General of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), to file their responses to the Plea within four weeks. Devendra Kumar, the State President of Kishan Manch, has filed the PIL seeking a direction to the authorities to take effective action under the Foreigners Act, 1946, which mandates the identification, detention, and deportation of illegal foreigners. The plea alleges that despite the provisions of the law, authorities in Uttar Pradesh have failed to take adequate steps to address the issue. The petitioner claims that a significant number of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants have entered and settled in various parts of India, including Uttar Pradesh. These immigrants, the plea argues, have been able to obtain fake identity documents such as Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, ration cards, and even Indian passports, and with such documents, the plea adds, they are availing government schemes and benefits meant for Indian citizens. It further raises concerns over how such individuals are managing to acquire these official identification documents. In this regard, the PIL calls upon the Election Commission of India and UIDAI to investigate the issuance of Aadhaar and voter ID cards to illegal immigrants and to take strict action against the officials found responsible. The plea also underscores the law-and-order concerns posed by the continued presence of such immigrants. It alleges their links with serious crimes including human trafficking, drug smuggling, land encroachments, and organized criminal activities. The PIL plea further warns that some of these migrants are even connected to radical organizations and they pose a grave threat to national security. According to the petitioner, the lack of robust border control and surveillance has facilitated the establishment of such networks within India. To prevent further infiltration, the PIL calls for the implementation of a biometric and surveillance-based tracking system. It also refers to a specific incident in December 2024, wherein a mob of 150–200 alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants reportedly attacked officials of the Municipal Corporation in Lucknow during an anti-encroachment drive in Indira Nagar. The petitioner submits that this incident highlights the growing challenge in identifying and deporting such individuals, as they are now establishing strong local networks to resist enforcement actions.Advocate Kartikay Singh appeared for the petitioner, Senior Advocate and DSGI SB Pandey, assisted by Varun Pandey, appeared for opposite party nos. 1 to 3 & 5, Sri Senior Advocate OP Srivastava, assisted by Anupriya Srivastava, appeared for opposite party no. 4, and Advocate Shikha Sinha appeared for opposite party no. 6.

Allahabad High Court Issues Notice To Centre, State Govt On Plea To Identify & Deport Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants From UP

Sparsh Upadhyay

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