The Supreme Court on Friday decided to hear on June 29 the petitions by foreign nationals challenging the government orders that blacklisted 2,500 citizens from 35 countries for their alleged involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities.
A Bench of Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari asked counsel for the petitioners to serve copies of their petitions on the Centre. Four petitions have been filed by 34 individuals, including a Thai national who is seven months pregnant, challenging the April 2 and June 4 orders that blacklisted over 2,500 foreign nationals currently in India.
“The impugned decision, by its very unilateral nature, infringes the principle of natural justice, particularly ‘audi alteram partem’ by blacklisting the said foreigners present in India without first granting an opportunity of being heard or notice of any form, and resultantly depriving the aggrieved foreign nationals of their right of locomotion and travelling back to the country of their citizenship,” said the plea filed by the Thai woman.
The petitioners said the en-masse blacklisting of foreigners without any opportunity to defend themselves is a blatant violation of Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution.
