MP defaces State Govt for failing to institute Foreigners Tribunal
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 15 2026: Even as the Government of India had entrusted the power to detect and deport illegal immigrants to the State Government, it has not yet taken any concrete action and instituted a Foreigners Tribunal, Lok Sabha MP Dr Bimol has said.

Sharing a photograph of a response from the Central Ministry of Home Affairs on his queries regarding census and illegal immigration on Facebook, Dr Bimol lamented that "those in power in Manipur" have not even instituted a Foreigners Tribunal when they themselves have identified "illegal immigration" as a "core issue" facing Manipur.

MP defaces State Govt for failing to institute Foreigners Tribunal

The Ministry of Home Affairs reply to Dr Bimol came days after he urged the Central Government to defer any census related exercise until the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is updated for Manipur to identify illegal immigrants.

In the Parliament on March 30, and in a later letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, Dr Bimol had stressed that past censuses conducted in Manipur were controversial and it had detected abnormal population growth across many districts.

Flagging the issue of illegal immigration from neighbouring countries as a key concern, he had then urged the Union Home Minister to defer census and delimitation related exercises in Manipur until the NRC for the State is updated.

The reply from the Minister of State for Home Affairs, shared by Dr Bimol on Facebook, shows that "The powers conferred to the Central Government under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 to detect, restrict their movements and to deport foreign Nationals staying illegally in the country, have been delegated to all State Governments/UT Administra-tions including the State Government of Manipur vide MHA's Notification No.SO.3998E dated 01.09.2025 under Section 28 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025".Detection of illegally staying foreigners and their deportation to their country of origin is a continuous and ongoing statutory process, said the Ministry.

"Central Government has been issuing instructions time to time regarding action to be taken against illegal migrants to all State Govemments/UT Administrations.

All State Govemments/UT Administrations including State Govt of Manipur have been advised to take steps for identification of illegal migrants restricting them to specified locations as per provisions of law, capturing their biographic and biometric particulars, cancellation of fake Indian documents in their possession and initiating legal proceedings including deportation proceedings as per provisions of law," it added.

Sharing the photograph of the reply on Facebook, Dr Bimol wrote, "So.

besides the fact that Gol is a BJP-led Government, the power to detect and deport illegal immigrants has also been delegated to the State Government, including Manipur Govt .

And for all these while, those in power in Manipur have been shouting "illegal immigrants", "illegal immigrants", "core issue"...without taking concrete action such as instituting a Foreigners Tribunal?" .

Urging appropriate actions from the State Government, Dr Bimol added, "Kannade, Action yengsi, take action based on EXECUTIVE power and institute necessary measures including constitution of Foreigners Tribunal to detect and deport illegal immigrants!" .