India, July 31 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will examine whether Rohingyas staying in the country were refugees or illegal migrants before going ahead with hearing a batch of petitions filed on their behalf challenging their deportation and seeking basic amenities during their stay in refugee camps.

"The first major issue is whether they are refugees or illegal migrants. Rest is consequential," a bench of justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and N Kotiswar Singh said.

"If they are refugees, they are entitled to certain protections under law. If not, they are illegal migrants and should be deported back to their country."

The four questions framed by the court in the Rohingya batch of cases included, "whether Rohingya entrant...