&w=3840&q=100)
Rohingya refugees must be deported if deemed foreigners under law: SC
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and N Kotiswar Singh referred to a top court's order and remarked the identity cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) may not be of any help to them under the law.
"If they are foreigners as per the Foreigners Act, then they have to be deported," Justice Datta told senior advocate Colin Gonsalves and advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for different Rohingya petitioners seeking various reliefs.
The top court was informed that some refugees having UNHCR cards, including women and children, were arrested by police authorities late last night and deported, despite a hearing slated on Thursday.
Justice Datta said, "If they (Rohingyas) are all foreigners and if they are covered by the Foreigners' Act, then they will have to be dealt with as per the Foreigners' Act." The court decided to hear the matter finally and posted the hearing on July 31.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, referred to the April 8, 2021 order of the court and said it bound the government to take deportation action in accordance with law.
Gonsalves said last night's events were "alarming" and "shocking" as it amounted to overreach of the court's decisions.
Referring to the UNHCR cards, Mehta said India was not a signatory to the refugee convention.
The April 2021 order said the rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 are available to all persons who may or may not be citizens but the right of not to be deported, is ancillary or concomitant to the right to reside or settle in any part of the territory of India guaranteed under Article 19(1)(e).
During the hearing, Bhushan urged the bench to finally hear the matter saying it was not the Refugee Convention alone which needs to be seen, but also the Genocide Convention which has been ratified by India.
Justice Kant said, "It would be better that instead of passing interlocutory orders of any nature, we take up these matters and decide either way. If they have a right to stay here, that should be acknowledged, and if they don't have a right to stay here, then they will have to follow the procedure and deport as per the law." When Gonsalves again expressed apprehension of further deportations, Justice Kant said Mehta had assured deportations would happen in line with Indian laws.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
10 minutes ago
- First Post
Is a Putin-Trump-Zelenskyy trilateral in the works?
As Trump signals willingness to meet Putin and Zelenskyy and Moscow shows interest, is a high-stakes trilateral to end the Ukraine war taking shape or is it just diplomatic theatre? read more U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam November 11, 2017. Image- Reuters A potential diplomatic breakthrough to end the war in Ukraine may be on the horizon as US President Donald Trump hinted at a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week with trilateral talks involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also under consideration. The White House on Wednesday confirmed that Moscow had expressed interest in a face-to-face with Trump, and preparations for a summit were already underway. Speaking to reporters, Trump said there was 'a very good chance' of meeting Putin soon, adding, 'We had some very good talks with President Putin today… there's a very good chance that we could be ending – the ending, the road ending, the end of that road.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The comments followed a meeting in Moscow between Putin and Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, which both sides described as productive. While Trump stopped short of calling the talks a breakthrough, he said they had achieved 'great progress'. Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov echoed the sentiment, calling the exchange 'useful and constructive', while noting that further discussions would depend on Witkoff's report to Trump. According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump is open to separate meetings with both Putin and Zelenskyy. The possibility of trilateral talks involving the three leaders is being explored and several locations including the United Arab Emirates are under discussion with the first meeting potentially taking place within two weeks. The diplomatic move comes as Trump tightens economic pressure on Russia. A Friday deadline looms for new secondary sanctions aimed at countries that continue trade with Moscow including possible tariffs on Chinese imports. Earlier this week, Trump announced a 25% tariff hike on Indian goods over New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil, raising total duties to 50%. He warned that similar measures could be imposed on China next. 'We did it with India. We're doing it probably with a couple of others. One of them could be China,' Trump said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, the Kremlin has signalled openness to a meeting with Zelenskyy. 'I have nothing against meeting Zelenskyy,' Putin said, while cautioning that 'certain conditions must be created,' and that such conditions do not yet exist. Nonetheless, the Russian president acknowledged mutual interest in meeting Trump, and indicated that a summit hosted by the UAE would be suitable. Zelenskyy, for his part, said the pressure campaign against Russia appeared to be yielding results. In his nightly address, he said Moscow seemed more 'inclined' to a ceasefire, though he remained wary of the Kremlin's intentions. 'The pressure on them works. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details — neither us nor the US,' he said. Zelenskyy had earlier extended an invitation to Putin for peace talks in Istanbul in May, an offer that was not accepted by the Russian side. If realised, a Trump–Putin–Zelenskyy summit would mark the most significant diplomatic engagement on Ukraine since the war began in 2022. It would also be the first meeting between a sitting or former US\ president and both leaders of the warring nations potentially shaping the trajectory of the conflict in the critical months ahead. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
10 minutes ago
- First Post
India considers support package, incentives for exporters hit by Trump's tariffs
India is considering floating a support package among other incentives for exporters affected by US President Donald Trump's 50% tariffs. Several Indian sectors like marine, textile, and edibles are set to be immediately affected by tariffs. read more India is considering floating a support package for exporters affected by US President Donald Trump's tariffs, Firstpost has learnt. Trump has slapped India with 50 per cent tariffs. He announced 25 per cent tariff on July 31 as part of the rollout of tariffs on more than 60 countries. He topped that with additional 25 per cent tariff on India on Wednesday over the purchase of Russian oil. Analysts have said that Trump's tariffs could drag the Indian GDP growth well below the 6 per cent-mark this year. While many labour-intensive sectors are set to be affected, the most vulnerable sectors include marine products, edibles, and textiles, among others. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In such a scenario, the Government of India is considering floating a support package for exporters to make up for the losses that they may incur from loss of exports because of tariffs, Firstpost has learnt. The support package is part of a broader set of proposals under consideration that includes incentives like new subsidies, easing access to credit, and easing the regulatory and compliance scenario to minimise expenses and allow for diversified exports. India can use savings from the purchase of discounted Russian oil to support exporters affected by American tariffs, which will give leverage to India regarding both Russia and United States, according to Prof. Ram Singh, a scholar of international trade and business at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT). Singh tells Firstpost, 'India can ask Russia for more discount on oil and use substantial savings from the purchase of cheaper Russian oil to push a support package for exporters that are most vulnerable to American tariffs, such as those exporting marine products like shrimps and prawns. Along with the diversification of exports, this could give India leverage in negotiations and exporters a breathing room.' India braces to avoid the worst hit of Trump's tariffs In the immediate future, sectors that are most vulnerable to American tariffs are marine (shrimps, prawns, etc), edibles (seasonal fruits, pickles, etc), and textiles, because they are perishable and have low shelf-life in case of shrimps and prawns and are labour-intensive with low profit margines in case of textiles, says Singh. Moreover, these are also sectors that are politically sensitive as agriculture, fisheries, dairy, and textiles are labour-intensive sectors. As a large section of the country depends directly and indirectly on these sectors, any disruption could have widespread sociopolitical consequences. In fact, one point of contention between India and the United States has been Trump's push for the inclusion of agriculture, dairy, and genetically modified (GM) crops in the trade deal. On its part, India has sought to exclude politically sensitive sectors of dairy and agriculture from the bilateral trade agreement under negotiations — just like these sectors have been excluded in trade deals with other countries like the United Kingdom. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Moreover, GM crops —with the single exception for cotton— are illegal in India so India has sought to keep them outside of any trade deal. Singh tells Firstpost, 'In addition to the government's financial package, exporters have been advised lately to frontload their consignments to the United States before the staring date for tariffs. The American sales are highest in November and December because of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year holidays. Exporters have been advised to frontload their consignments meant for these holidays.'
The Hindu
10 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Top news of the day: Rahul Gandhi alleges ‘massive' voter fraud; Indian exporters react cautiously as Trump tariffs take effect, and more
Rahul Gandhi alleges 'massive' voter fraud, says ECI colluding with BJP to steal elections Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday (August 7, 2025), alleged large-scale voter fraud in electoral rolls since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in collusion with the Election Commission of India (ECI). Last week, Mr. Gandhi said he had 'atom bomb' evidence on 'vote chori' (vote theft) while not revealing much about the evidence he has. Indian exporters react cautiously as Trump tariffs take effect Amid the ongoing row over the tariffs and penalties imposed by the Trump administration on India, citing India's trade relations with Russia, the US-India Business Council (USIBC) said on Thursday (August 7, 2025) that it is 'time to redouble our efforts, not pull apart.' U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday (August 6) signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on imports from India, in response to India 'directly or indirectly' importing oil from Russia. This is over and above the 25% tariff on Indian imports that Mr. Trump approved on July 31. Russian President Putin to visit India soon, says NSA Ajit Doval Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India soon, said National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval in an opening statement during a meeting in Moscow on Thursday (August 7, 2025). 'We are very excited to learn about the visit of President Putin to India... I think the dates are almost finalised. Summit-level meetings have always been watershed points for the relationship,' Mr. Doval said. Uttarkashi flash floods: Army says rescue operations intensified, ad-hoc aviation base set up at Matli Helipad The Army, in close coordination with other authorities, continues to intensify Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in the flash flood-affected area of Dharali, near Harsil in Uttarakhand, according to an official statement. Over 225 troops, including specialised engineer and medical teams, are on the ground conducting rescue and relief tasks under extremely challenging conditions, the statement said. U.S. tariffs: 'We should also raise it to 50%,' says Shashi Tharoor Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday (August 7, 2025) said that India should also raise tariffs on American goods to 50% in response to the U.S. imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports. Mr. Tharoor questioned why India should stop at the current 17% tariff and emphasised that the country should not be intimidated by such actions. He also said that no country should be allowed to threaten India in this manner. BJP's only national spokesperson from Northeast resigns Mmhonlumo Kikon, national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), resigned from the primary and active membership of the party on Thursday (August 7, 2025). Mr. Kikon, an ethnic Naga and a former Member of the Legislative Assembly in Nagaland, was the only national spokesperson of the BJP from the Northeast. Pakistan Army chief Munir expected to visit U.S. again: Report Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir is expected to visit the United States this week for consultations with top American officials, his second trip to Washington since the four-day conflict with India, a media report said on Thursday (August 7, 2025). In June, travelled to the U.S. on a rare five-day trip during which he attended a private luncheon with President Donald Trump. That meeting culminated in Trump's announcement of enhanced U.S.-Pakistan cooperation in various fields, including an oil deal. Kerala HC orders interim stay on proceedings in FIR against actor Shwetha Menon Kerala High Court on Thursday (August 7, 2025) stayed the proceedings in connection with the FIR lodged against Malayalam film actor Shwetha Menon for allegedly publishing or transmitting obscene scenes of some of her past movies and advertisements. The interim order was passed by Justice V.G. Arun on a plea moved by the actor to quash the FIR against her. 'Unequal growth post the globalisation boom of the 1990s and 2000s led to the current inward looking trade policies' The increasingly inward-looking attitude of countries around the world didn't happen overnight, and is a result of the unequal growth that emerged from the 'golden' period of globalisation in the 1990s and 2000s, according to Scott Wang, Vice President, Asia Pacific, for the World Trade Centres' Association. Trump-Putin meeting agreed for 'coming days', venue set: Kremlin The Kremlin said Thursday (August 7, 2025) that a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was set for the 'coming days', with the two sides already having agreed the venue 'in principle.' The summit would be the first between sitting U.S. and Russian Presidents since Joe Biden met Mr. Putin in Geneva in June 2021, and comes as Mr. Trump seeks to broker an end to Russia's military assault on Ukraine. Shubman Gill to lead North Zone in Duleep Trophy Having enjoyed a stupendous run with the bat on the just-concluded tour of England in his first Test series as India captain, Shubman Gill's next assignment will be as North Zone skipper in the Duleep Trophy starting on August 28 in Bengaluru. In the series against the Englishmen that finished 2-2, Gill was in regal touch, amassing 754 runs at an average of 75.4, including four hundreds.
