Notify 'ways & means' to release foreigners kept in detention: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday directed the Assam government to inform the court about the "ways and means" of releasing foreigners kept in detention centres for prolonged periods of time.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, comprising of Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna, directed the Assam Chief Secretary to conduct a meeting of all stakeholders and come up with an affidavit with details on releasing over 900 illegal foreigners in several detention centres.

The bench took note of the state government's plea that its observations can affect the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and deferred the hearing to April 25. Lok Sabha elections in Assam will be held on April 23.

Earlier the court had asked the central government to apprise it on several issues including as to how many functional detention centres are there in the state.

Activist Harsh Mander filed a PIL on the plight of foreigners in detention centres. The plea alleged that they are kept in indefinite detention just because they are not Indians.

The court had on April 1 expressed unhappiness over declared foreign nationals absconding and amalgamating with the local population in Assam and summoned the state's chief secretary.