The on Tuesday criticised the Assam government for the delay in deporting foreign nationals being held in detention centres in the state, reported Bar and Bench.

A of Justices AS Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the state government to start the process immediately.

“You have refused to start deportation saying their addresses are not known,” PTI quoted the bench as telling the chief secretary of Assam. “Why should it be our concern? You deport to their foreign country. Are you waiting for some muhurat [auspicious time]?”

The court said that the foreign nationals can be deported even without an address, according to Bar and Bench. “You cannot continue to detain them indefinitely...Once they are held to be foreigners, they should be deported immediately.”

The bench was in connection with the deportation of persons declared as foreigners and the facilities provided at the detention centres in Assam, PTI reported.

During the hearing, the counsel for the state government asked the bench where the foreign nationals should be deported in the absence of an address.

In response, Oka said: “You deport them to the capital city of the country. Suppose the person is from Pakistan – you know the capital city of Pakistan? How can you keep them detained here, saying their foreign address is not...