Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed all district magistrates in the state to take strict action against illegal immigrants and to set up temporary detention centres in every district to house them.

This order, announced on Saturday, 22nd November, is part of the administration’s larger effort to improve national security and maintain law and order across Uttar Pradesh during a crucial electoral exercise.

The government has made it clear that “Illegal immigrants held in these centres will be deported to their respective countries following standard legal procedures.” At present, Assam is the only state with detention facilities of this kind, but Uttar Pradesh is now moving to establish its own system so that illegal immigrants can be identified, monitored, and processed in a structured manner.

This development comes at a time when the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is underway in Uttar Pradesh and 11 other states and union territories. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has appealed to the public to support the nationwide SIR effort, stressing that it is essential to protect the country and its democratic structure by ensuring the removal of “every single infiltrator” from the electoral lists. Addressing the Border Security Force’s 61st Raising Day event in Gujarat, he declared, “Today I want to make it clear that we will single-handedly remove all the infiltrators from this country. This is our pledge.”

According to the Election Commission’s schedule, the printing and training phase took place from October 28 to November 3, followed by the enumeration phase from November 4 to December 4. The draft electoral rolls will be published on December 9, and citizens can raise claims or objections until January 8, 2026. The notice phase for verification will run from December 9 to January 31, 2026, and the final electoral rolls will be made public on February 7, 2026.

Uttar Pradesh shares an open border with Nepal, which allows free movement of citizens between the two countries. However, individuals from other nationalities are subject to checks. Intelligence reports indicate that many illegal immigrants, particularly from West Bengal, are attempting to move into Uttar Pradesh to avoid detection during the SIR process. As a result, district administrations have been instructed to strengthen field verification, identity checks, and local intelligence gathering to track such movements effectively.

Opposition parties have expressed concerns that the SIR process might end up targeting voters from underprivileged backgrounds. The state government, however, maintains that law and order and national security remain its top priorities and that no illegal activity will be tolerated. The establishment of detention centres forms a key part of the state’s strategy to keep illegal immigrants in secure locations until their status is verified and any necessary deportation procedures are completed.

This directive issued by Yogi Adityanath marks a significant escalation in the state’s efforts to control illegal immigration while simultaneously reinforcing the electoral roll verification process. It highlights the government’s commitment to safeguarding national security, ensuring accurate voter records, and maintaining social harmony across Uttar Pradesh.