- The Central Government is planning to release a Model Detention Manual,2019.
- The manual has asked all states and union territories to set up at least one detention centre each with modern amenities for illegal migrants/ foreigners.
- The aim behind setting up such detention centres is to restrict the movement of foreigners staying back illegally and thereby ensure that they are physically available at all times for expeditious repatriation or deportation.
- As per the manual,states will not not need any specific approval from the Union home ministry for setting up a detention or holding center.
- Further,every detention centre shall have a cell which will provide help to the detainee foreigners for contacting the concerned embassy or their family through proper procedure.
- The manual also says that a skill centre and crèche facilities for children may also be provided within the detention camp.Further,observing that detention centres in most states were being run from prison,the manual has also directed that detention centres or camps be set up outside jail premises.
- This manual comes in the backdrop of the exercise in Assam where the National Register of Citizens(NRC) is being finalised for which the Supreme Court has extended the deadline till August 31,2019.
- According to Citizenship Act 1955, an illegal migrant is a foreigner who enters the country without valid travel documents like a passport and visa or enters with valid documents but stays beyond the permitted time period.Illegal migrants may be imprisoned or deported under the Foreigners Act,1946 and the Passport (Entry into India) Act,1920.
