Assam government changes nomenclature of detention centres to Transit camp

Assam government has changed the nomenclature of detention centres to Transit camp for detention purposes.

Principal secretary, Home and political, Niraj Verma in a notification stated, “In partial modification of this department’s earlier notification No PLB,149/2008/88 dated 17-06-2009 and subsequent notification issued vide No PLB, 149/2008/50 dated 01-12-2009, No PLB 149/2008/54 dated 05-04-2010, PLB No 121/2015/44 dated 24-09-2015 and No PLB,121/2015vol-I/388 dated 01-011-2018 nomenclature of detention Centre is changed to transit camp for detention purpose.”

Assam has six detention centres. Assam government has stated that 2,98,471 cases have been disposed of by the Foreigners Tribunals (FT), whereas 1,36,173 cases were pending in the FTs as on April 30, 2021.


Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is also in charge of Home department replied in state assembly recently that there are six designated detention centres in Assam, Goalpara Kokrajhar, Silchar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Tezpur. There are a total 181 detenues at present lodged in the Detention Centres. Out of 181, there are 61 detenues who are declared foreign nationals and there are 120 detenues, who have been convicted by the Court and after the sentence period is over, currently lodged in Detention Centres awaiting deportation.

Sarma replied nine convicted women foreigners along with 22 of children are presently lodged in three detention centres viz Kokrajhar, Silchar and Tezpur, out of 22 children, two are above 14 years and 20 children are below 14 years.

The chief minister replied 118616 persons are declared as Indian and 139900 persons are declared as foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunals as on 30-04-2021, 321 of foreigners are repatriated and 181 are in detention centres.

Gauhati High Court last year pulled up the Assam government for using parts of six jail premises as detention centres for housing foreigners staying illegally and not creating a separate facility for the inmates.

Centre had sanctioned the first standalone detention camp which will house declared foreigners.

The camp will come up in Goalpara district with an investment of Rs 46 Crore. This will be the first standalone detention camp with a capacity of 3500 persons.