Foreigners Tribunals
Quasi-Judicial Mechanism
Foreigners Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies with the power to declare whether a person is an illegal foreigner. Originally constituted only in Assam under the Foreigners (Tribunal) Order, 1964, the Ministry of Home Affairs amended the order in May 2019 to empower all state governments and district magistrates across India to set up these tribunals.
- Foreigners Tribunals have the powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
- Only a Foreigners Tribunal — not the police or executive — has the authority to declare a person an illegal foreigner.
- The 2019 amendment was significant because it extended the Assam-specific model nationwide.
- Once declared a foreigner, the individual may be detained in a holding centre pending deportation.
● Tracked since May 24, 2026 · last seen July 28, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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