J&K High Court Halts Deportation of CRPF Constable and Family
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has stayed the deportation of four individuals from Poonch district, including a serving CRPF constable, who were identified by authorities as Pakistani nationals. The court intervened after the individuals challenged the deportation order, asserting their long-standing residency in India.
The petitioners, residents of Salwah village near the Line of Control, submitted land records and official documents to prove their citizenship. One of them, Iftkhar Ali, is an active constable in the Central Reserve Police Force, further reinforcing their claim to Indian nationality.
They argued that they had been residing in Jammu and Kashmir for decades and were in possession of government-issued documents, including voter ID cards, domicile certificates, and passports. The deportation orders, they said, ignored their historical and legal ties to the region.
J&K High Court
Justice Rahul Bharti granted interim relief to the petitioners, ordering that they not be expelled until further legal examination. The court emphasized the need to establish clear facts and avoid hasty actions in matters involving questions of nationality.
The judge directed the Deputy Commissioner of Poonch to submit a detailed affidavit outlining the petitioners’ landholding records and legal status in the village. Observing the complexity of the case, the court scheduled the next hearing for May 20, where further scrutiny of documents and administrative claims will take place.
Poonch Family Nationality
The case brings into focus the lingering identity issues faced by families in conflict-affected border areas. According to the petitioners, their family was displaced during the 1965 India-Pakistan war but later returned and reintegrated into society.
They claim to have been accepted by local authorities for years, with their children receiving education in Indian schools and family members working in Indian institutions. The current deportation move, they argue, stems from a misclassification error rather than a legitimate security concern.
The High Court’s decision to halt the deportation offers temporary relief and a chance for the petitioners to prove their legal residency, while also setting a precedent for careful judicial review in similar sensitive cases.
