India’s Supreme Court Halts Eviction of Bengali Muslim Families in Assam

India’s Supreme Court Halts Eviction of Bengali Muslim Families in Assam
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The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a status quo on eviction and demolition drives in Uriamghat and nearby villages in Assam’s Golaghat district, temporarily halting the displacement of over 2,000 Bengali Muslim families, Muslim Mirror reported. These families, who have lived in the area for more than 70 years, challenged the Gauhati High Court’s refusal to protect them after it upheld the state’s eviction measures.

The petitioners presented state-issued documents such as ration cards, electricity connections, and electoral rolls as proof of legal residence. They argued that the evictions violate the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, 2013, Assam Rules of 2015, and infringe upon their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, 21, 25, and 300-A of the Constitution.

The Assam government justified the evictions citing the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891, claiming the villages lie within reserved forest areas. Eviction notices issued in July gave residents seven days to vacate.

This operation is part of a larger effort to clear nearly 15,000 bighas (4,900 acres) in Uriamghat, with over 3,500 families evicted across four districts since June 2025. The case will decide the legality of these evictions and the protection of long-settled communities.