Latest news with #Foreigners
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Calcutta HC asks Centre to place litigation papers about deportation from Delhi High Court
The Calcutta High Court has instructed the central government to submit all records pertaining to deportation cases ongoing in the Delhi High Court. These cases involve individuals allegedly residing illegally in Delhi. The court also addressed concerns about Bengali-speaking people being questioned about their nationality. This followed habeas corpus petitions alleging illegal detentions from West Bengal. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to place before it all records regarding litigations before the Delhi HC over the deportation of a few persons found to be illegally residing in the national court also verbally asked the central government's lawyer to "ascertain" whether there is any truth in the allegation that Bengali-speaking people were being questioned over their nationality in different places in the country after the West Bengal government 's counsel raised the no order was issued by the court on this matter.A division bench, presided by Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty, took up two habeas corpus petitions, alleging illegal detention of some people from West court directed the Centre to file an affidavit with regard to the petitioners' averment that they were already deported and that the issue was being litigated before the Delhi High Court A habeas corpus petition is a legal remedy seeking direction to produce a person who is missing or has been illegally for the Centre, additional solicitor general Asok Kumar Chakrabarti informed the court that a petition was filed before the Delhi High Court seeking their production before said that after the Delhi High Court was informed that they had been deported on orders of the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, the petitioners withdrew the habeas corpus application and filed a fresh petition there challenging the FRRO stated before the division bench that suppressing these facts, the two habeas corpus petitions were moved before the Calcutta High Court and prayed that these be displeasure at the non-disclosure of these facts by the petitioners, the court asked the Centre to file an affidavit with all records and documents relating to the matter by July petitioners will file a reply to it by August 4, and the matter will come up for hearing again on August 6, the court directed.
Hindustan Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
West Bengal farmer sent ‘illegal migrant' notice by Assam's Foreigners Tribunal
A 50-year-old farmer from Sadialer Kuthi, a remote village in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district, has received a notice from the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam's Kamrup district asking him to submit valid documents to prove that he is not an 'illegal migrant or foreigner.'. The farmer, Uttam Kumar Brajabasi (left), claimed that his family has been living in the village for at least five generations. (HT Photo) The development has sparked a political row in the eastern state, with chief minister Mamata Banerjee claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Assam was trying to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in West Bengal. 'I am shocked and deeply disturbed to learn that the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam has issued an NRC notice to Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, a Rajbanshi, resident of Dinhata in Cooch Behar for over 50 years. Despite furnishing valid identity documents, he is being harassed on suspicion of being a foreigner/illegal migrant. This calls for urgent unity among all opposition parties to stand up against BJP's divisive and oppressive machinery. Bengal will not stand by as the Constitutional fabric of India is torn apart,' Banerjee wrote on X on Tuesday. The farmer, Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, claimed that his family has been living in the village for at least five generations and that he has never been out of West Bengal. 'I received a notice in January this year through the police. As I can't read and write well, I showed it to my neighbors. They said that it was an NRC-notice from Assam. I am really scared,' Brajabasi told media persons. The notice, sent to him by the tribunal in December 2024, stated that Brajabasi had illegally stayed in Assam without any valid document between January 1, 1966 and March 24, 1971, and that he was currently residing at Dinhata in Cooch Behar district. 'Therefore, as per provision of order 3(1) of the Foreigners (Tribunal) Order, 1964, you are asked to appear in person or by concerned lawyer engaged by you before this Foreigners Tribunal on January 6, 2025, at 10am to show cause supported by valid documents as admissible to prove that you are not a foreigner/illegal migrant as required under section 9 of the Foreigners Act, 1946. Upon failure to respond to this notice on your part, the Tribunal shall proceed to decide the reference ex-parte,' the notice stated. 'I have never been to Assam nor do I have any relatives there. I was born and brought up in Dinhata. Even my grandfather and father are from the same village,' he told media persons. Brajabasi also said that he hired a lawyer to represent his case at the tribunal and submitted documents of his father and grandfather to prove his citizenship. He claimed that he was asked to submit more documents within July 15, failing which he would be treated as a foreigner. The developments came to light after Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Samirul Islam flagged it on social media late on Monday evening. 'After the incident came to light on Monday, we got in touch with the authorities in Kamrup district. We are also sending them mail today with all documents of Brajabasi on Tuesday. He is a resident of Cooch Behar,' said Arvind Kumar Mina, district magistrate of Cooch Behar. 'This is nothing short of a systematic assault on democracy. It is proof that the ruling BJP dispensation in Assam is attempting to implement NRC in Bengal, where it holds no power or jurisdiction. A premeditated attempt is being made to intimidate, disenfranchise, and target marginalised communities. This unconstitutional overreach is anti-people, and exposes BJP's dangerous agenda of bulldozing democratic safeguards and erasing the identity of Bengal's people,' Banerjee wrote on X. The BJP, however, has hit back alleging that the TMC was creating a false narrative and that the Assam government has already decided to keep the Koch – Rajbangshi community out of the NRC process. 'False narrative being peddled by @MamataOfficial regarding an alleged notice issued by one FRO court from Assam. But the fact of the matter is @CMOfficeAssam has already taken a decision to keep Koch-Rajbangshi out of NRC process rather state cabinet took firm stand to withdraw all pending cases against Koch-Rajbangshi community as far as NRC is concerned,' Jagannath Chattopadhyay, state general secretary of the BJP wrote on X.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Home Minister launches new OCI portal
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a new Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) portal on Monday (May 19, 2025). Mr. Shah said the revamped OCI portal with an updated user interface has been launched to simplify the registration process for overseas citizens. He said it must be ensured that the Indian-origin residents face no inconvenience when visiting or staying in India. The new portal will provide enhanced functionality, advanced security, and a user-friendly experience for more than 5 million OCI cardholders and new users. The new OCI portal is available at The OCI scheme was introduced through an amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955, in 2005. The scheme provides for the registration of Persons of Indian Origin as Overseas Citizens of India, provided they were citizens of India on or after January 26, 1950 or were eligible to become citizens on that date. However, individuals who are or had been citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh, or whose parent or grandparent or great grandparent are or had been citizens of those two countries are not eligible. The existing OCI Services portal was developed in 2013 and is currently operational in over 180 Indian missions as well as 12 Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs), processing approximately 2,000 applications per day. Given the significant technological advancements over the past decade and feedback received from OCI cardholders, a revamped OCI portal has been developed to address existing limitations and enhance user experience, MHA said in a statement.
Hindustan Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Thailand authorities end search operation at Bangkok skyscraper after earthquake
Thai authorities on Tuesday officially ended the search operation at the building under construction in the capital, Bangkok, that collapsed following an earthquake that killed dozens over a month ago. The 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 centred in Myanmar, more than 800 miles (1,200 kilometres) away, killed at least 96 people in Bangkok, mostly at the collapsed site. More than 3,000 were killed in Myanmar. Also Read: From 'White Lotus' to white sands: Bangkok Airways expands for tourist influx Eighty-nine bodies have been retrieved from the rubble while seven people remain unaccounted for at the site, officials said. They said they would continue to test hundreds of pieces of human remains to identify those still missing. The collapse sparked questions about the enforcement of construction safety and corruption. The high-rise building, meant to be the new office of the State Audit Office, was the only building that suffered a total collapse that day. Also Read: Bangkok skyscraper collapse probe takes major turn as Thailand officials find 'something suspicious' The police on Tuesday said they are still investigating and will continue to collect evidence from the collapse site until the end of this month. Authorities are probing several companies and individuals for any wrongdoing in relation to the collapse, including the state-run Chinese contractor, China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group. The investigation has led to the arrest of its Chinese executive in Thailand, identified as Zhang, and three Thai shareholders on suspicion of operating the business through the use of nominees. Also Read: Delay, sub-standard steel: Concerns raised on Bangkok skyscraper that collapsed Foreigners can operate a business in Thailand, but it must be a joint venture with a Thai partner, and they cannot own more than 49 per cent to protect local competitiveness. Another Thai-Chinese company, Xin Ke Yuan Steel, also came under scrutiny over the quality of the steel rods provided for the building. Industry Minister Akanat Promphan said two types of steel rods found at the collapse site did not pass safety standards and that Xin Ke Yuan supplied both. The company has denied any wrongdoing.
Kyodo News
21-04-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Central Tokyo condo prices top 100 mil. yen for 2nd straight year
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 15:27 | All, Japan The average price of a new condominium in central Tokyo surged 11.2 percent in fiscal 2024 from the previous year to 116.32 million yen ($827,000), topping 100 million yen for the second straight year, a research institute said Monday. The rise in condo prices mainly reflected soaring material and labor costs. The number of new condominiums listed for sale in Tokyo's 23 wards, meanwhile, plunged 25.5 percent to 8,272 units. The average price in the country's capital and surrounding areas rose 7.5 percent from the previous year to 81.35 million yen, with prices climbing in every prefecture in the metropolitan region. By prefecture, the price rose 20.5 percent to 58.93 million yen in Saitama, 10.6 percent to 56.04 million yen in Chiba, and 7.2 percent to 65.87 million yen in Kanagawa. The average price in Tokyo outside the 23 wards increased 13.2 percent to 60.67 million yen. Related coverage: Japanese-style inn operator eyes U.S. expansion after N.Y. listing Foreigners bought 371 properties near Japan security zones in FY 2023
