Sonowal urges Rajnath to extend term of foreigners tribunals

New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and urged him to extend the term of the foreigners tribunals, which determines the identity of illegal immigrants, for five more years.
Sonowal conveyed to the Home Minister that at present 100 foreigners tribunals are functioning in Assam out of which 64 were created in 2004 in compliance with a Supreme Court directive.
As the validity of these tribunals has expired on February 9, 2016, the Chief Minister requested the Home Minister to extend their term for five more years for smooth settlement of foreigners’ issue, an official spokesperson said.
Foreigners tribunals in Assam were set up under the Foreigner (Tribunal) Order of 1964 to determine the status of citizens whose Indian nationality are doubtful.
Referring to the updation of National Register of Citizenship in Assam, Sonowal requested Singh for early release of funds for the speedy implementation of the process.
The Chief Minister urged the Home Minister to hand over the construction work of fencing of borders to Indian Army as was done in the case of Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir. Sonowal also requested Singh to facilitate raising of India Reserve Battalion in the Assam. (PTI)