Pilot project on e-FT (electronic Foreigners Tribunal) in 3 districts within first quarter of 2020

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Within the first quarter of 2020, the pilot project on e-FT (electronic Foreigners Tribunal) will be completed in three districts of Assam. It will be subsequently extended to the remaining districts. The State government has taken a target of one year to complete the entire project.

This initiative has been taken following a directive from the Gauhati High Court to the State government for preparing a common database on the illegal foreigners in Assam. This move has been undertaken for the first time in the State.

The e-FT will be a digital platform connecting the stakeholders who will have exclusive access to its data. Besides the Central government including its MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) and the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs), the other stakeholders include the State’s Home & Political department, Election department, the Border branch of Assam Police, the Foreigner’s Tribunals (FTs), as well as the detention centres. Sources informed that the work order has been issued to IT firms. The Border Police is monitoring the entire process. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved ‘in principle’ an amount of Rs 99 crore for this e-FT project.

The e-FT will comprise the cases related to illegal foreigners or immigrants pending in FTs. The details would include against whom, and in which FT a case is registered; various other data on the ‘Declared Foreigners’ and the ‘Doubtful Voters’ including up-to-date legacy data and biometrics of immigrants.

Presently there are 100 FTs and six detention centres for illegal foreigners in Assam.

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