The Centre had
previously submitted that Senora's security verification was under way "through
the Ministry of External Affairs”, and that's why she had been kept under
detention.
New Delhi | Updated: August 2, 2023 01:02 IST
The HC was hearing a plea to advance hearing
of the matter from September 19. (Express File Photo)
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The Delhi High Court
on Tuesday asked a Rohingya refugee who sought release from a detention centre
in the city to respond to the Centre’s reply to her plea. The government had
said that she is “an illegal migrant who has to be deported back”.
The
HC was hearing a plea to advance hearing of the matter from September 19.
The petitioner, Senora
Begum, 23, is a member of the Rohingya community from Myanmar and is lodged at
Dayabasti Ren Basera Detention Centre in Shastri Nagar, maintained by the
Ministry of Home Affairs, since June 2022.
A
single-judge bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad asked the petitioner’s counsel
to respond to the Centre’s stand, following which “the court can consider the
application for early hearing”. The court listed the matter on the date already
fixed: September 19.
The
court noted that the Centre in its reply has stated that India is not a
signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and therefore does not recognise the
refugee status granted by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). “The
stand by the Union of India is therefore that the petitioner is an illegal
migrant who has to be deported back. The petitioner is directed to file a reply
to the said counter (of the Union),” the HC said.
Stating
that it is not disposing of the application, the bench said if the HC is unable
to hear the matter on September 19, the petitioner can “press the application”.
During
the hearing on May 23, advocate Warisha Farasat, appearing for Senora, relied
upon a letter by the UNHCR dated April 25, 2022, which said the UN agency has
recognised her as an asylum-seeker.
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