The Expert Committee on Refugees constituted in November last year by the Commission met for the first time on 9 March 2004, to give its opinion to the Commission, on the Model National Law on Refugees. Addressing the Committee, Chairperson of the Commission, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand said that there is a need to outline clearly the status of refugees. India, he said, has not signed any Convention on Refugees and the silence on our part is being questioned at international fora. The problems of refugees in India are historical and complex and thus the felt need to set up an expert group to get their comments on the Model National Law on Refugees, he said.