Assam Accord at Stake: SC Seeks Centre's Response on Free Passage for Persecuted Minorities

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In a significant development, the Supreme Court has sought the Centre's response on a petition that alleges the recent government order allowing persecuted minorities from three neighbouring countries to enter India without restrictions until December 31, 2024 violates the Assam Accord of 1985. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued a notice to the Centre, Ministry of External Affairs, and the Assam government on the petition filed by the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). The petition challenges the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order 2025, which extends the benefits of the Citizenship Amendment Act to persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who entered India before December 31, 2024. The AGP argues that the Assam Accord, which froze the deadline for entry of illegal immigrants into Assam at March 25, 1971, has been undermined by the Centre's order. The petitioners claim that this move will not only provide legal cover to illegal immigrants who have remained in the state after 1971 but also amount to a violation of the court's binding direction. The Supreme Court had earlier upheld the validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, which provides for the deportation of individuals who entered India after the specified deadline. The Centre's order has now exempted certain minority groups from this provision, sparking concerns about the sanctity of the Assam Accord. The court has directed the Centre, Ministry of External Affairs, and the Assam government to respond to the petition, which will be listed along with other pending matters related to the Citizenship Amendment Act 2020.