Supreme Court quashes Guwahati high court order on 27 'foreigners'

# Supreme Court Quashes Guwahati High Court Order on 27 'Foreigners'

The Supreme Court of India has quashed an order from the Guwahati High Court concerning 27 individuals classified as foreign nationals. The decision centered on procedural irregularities in how these individuals were declared foreigners, with the court identifying significant faults in both the tribunal and high court's handling of the cases.

The core issue was the lack of fair procedures afforded to the affected individuals. The Supreme Court found that many of the orders declaring people as foreign nationals were issued without providing adequate hearings to those directly impacted by the decisions. This procedural failing was deemed a violation of fair process standards.

In response, the Supreme Court has directed the relevant tribunals to conduct fresh hearings and reconsider all 27 cases from the beginning. The order underscores the court's emphasis on ensuring that individuals have proper opportunity to be heard before being declared foreign nationals, establishing that such determinations require adherence to established procedural safeguards.