Amid SIR of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi govt directs setting up of detention centres for illegal immigrants

CM Yogi Adityanath has directed UP officials to set up temporary detention centres (Image via Business Standard)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed all district magistrates in the state to take strict action against illegal immigrants and set up temporary detention centres in every district to house them. This decision was announced on Saturday, 22nd November, as part of efforts to enhance national security and maintain law and order in the state.

Illegal immigrants held in these centres will be deported to their respective countries following standard legal procedures. At present, such detention centres exist only in Assam, but Uttar Pradesh is now moving to establish its own facilities to better manage the issue.

The move comes amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh and 11 other states and union territories. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has called on citizens to support the nationwide SIR process, emphasising that it is essential to protect the nation and democracy by ensuring that “every single infiltrator” is removed from the electoral lists.

Shah, speaking at the Border Security Force’s 61st Raising Day event in Gujarat, said, “Today I want to make it clear that we will single-handedly remove all the infiltrators from this country. This is our pledge.”

The second phase of the SIR is currently underway in various states, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

According to the Election Commission, printing and training took place from October 28 to November 3, followed by the enumeration phase from November 4 to December 4. The draft electoral rolls are set to be published on December 9, after which a claims and objections period will continue until January 8, 2026. The notice phase for verification will last from December 9 to January 31, 2026, with the final electoral rolls published on February 7, 2026.

Uttar Pradesh shares an open border with Nepal, allowing free movement of citizens from both nations, but there are checks in place for residents of other nationalities. Intelligence reports suggest that many illegal immigrants, especially from West Bengal, are attempting to move to Uttar Pradesh to evade detection during the SIR process. The state government has ordered district administrations to intensify field verification, identity checks, and local intelligence gathering to track and manage these movements.

While the opposition has raised concerns that the SIR process might target voters from underprivileged communities, the state government has emphasised that law and order and national security remain its top priorities, and no illegal activity will be tolerated. The establishment of detention centres is a key step in this crackdown, aiming to hold illegal immigrants securely until their status is verified and deportation procedures are completed.

This directive, issued by Yogi Adityanath, marks a significant escalation in the effort to control illegal immigration and strengthen the electoral roll verification process, reflecting the government’s focus on safeguarding national security and social harmony.​

Written by OpIndia Staff
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