New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS): The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that the influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar started in 2012 as the apex court directed an October 3 hearing on a petition challenging their deportation.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud directed the hearing for October as the Centre told the bench that they would be filing their response during the day.

Adjourning the hearing, the court asked the petitioner and others to file their rejoinder to the Centre's stand before the next date of hearing.

The Centre told the top court not to interfere in the matter as it was an "essential executive" function of policy decision in the larger national interest.

"The continued stay of Rohingyas in India apart from being absolutely illegal is found to be having national security ramification and has serious security threats," the Centre said in its affidavit.

Telling the court that the presence of Rohingyas in India would be a drain on the resources of the country and would affect the rights of the people, the Centre on Monday pointed to the court about some of the Rohingyas having contacts with Pakistan-based terror outfits.

It further said that due to the large influx of illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries, the demographic profile of the some of the bordering states had undergone a serious change.