Impact of COVID-19 on the Justice Delivery System for Legal and Illegal Migrants of Assam

Abstract

The entire world is facing several economic and socio-political issues due to this sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, India is also facing such issues where the plight of migrant workers across the Nation has led to a huge humanitarian crisis, especially due to the nation-wide lockdown. Amongst those migrant workers, a significant population also belongs to Assam. However, unlike the other States of India, the situation in Assam is unique. Assam is a State which has always been known for a huge influx of illegal immigrants across the borders from Bangladesh for which there had been several conflicts with the indigenous population of Assam in the past and due to recent political happenings in the State, such conflicts have again arisen. It was in such a situation that this outbreak occurred for which a huge section of legal migrants, who are Assamese by origin, had to surrender their jobs and were forced to return home. This is likely to increase the economic burden over the State since unemployment rates will go up and subsequently scarcity of resources will increase. Thus, it might not be feasible for the State to meet the demands of both the legal as well as illegal immigrants with a downgrading economy as a result of this pandemic which is going to increase tensions and conflicts in the State. This paper will therefore attempt to understand the efficiency of the justice delivery system in dealing with the plight of such migrant workers and will also try to find out certain possible solutions to this issue.

Keywords: Assam; Citizenship; COVID-19; Illegal Immigration; Migrant Workers; Lockdown