About

• The Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) are quasi-judicial bodies formed through the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order of 1964 under the Foreigners’ Act of 1946.
• The 1964 order allows local authorities in a State to refer a person suspected to be a foreigner to tribunals. 
• The FTs are currently exclusive to Assam as cases of “illegal immigrants” are dealt with according to the Foreigners’ Act in other States.
• Each FT is headed by a member drawn from judges, advocates, and civil servants with judicial experience. 

How does an FT function? 

• According to the 1964 order, an FT has the powers of a civil court in certain matters such as summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him or her on oath and requiring the production of any document. 
• An FT has to dispose of a case within 60 days of reference. 
• If the person fails to provide any proof of citizenship, the FT can send him or her to a detention centre, now called transit camp, for deportation later.