Passports 'regulate departure' of Indians from country: MEA
New Delhi : The Ministry of External Affairs has clarified that an Indian passport is primarily a travel document for regulating departure, not a definitive proof of citizenship, sparking a significant debate among political parties.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) states that an Indian passport is issued to regulate the departure of citizens, not to serve as proof of citizenship.
This clarification follows a debate on whether passports can be used for citizenship verification, especially for electoral rolls.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted that passports are issued after due verification under the Passports Act, 1967, and Passports Rules, 1980.
Less than eight per cent of Indian citizens currently hold a passport. Opposition parties, including the Congress, have criticised the MEA's stance, questioning how a passport cannot reflect a holder's citizenship.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that an Indian passport is a document issued by the government primarily to "regulate the departure" of Indian citizens from the country.
This statement comes amid a raging debate over whether the passport can be used to verify citizenship.
Understanding The Passport's Primary Purpose : MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that a passport is issued after due "verification" laid out by an established process.
He also noted that less than eight per cent of Indians currently hold the document. Senior officials of the MEA, during a briefing on Passport Seva Divas on June 24, had previously described the passport as solely a travel document, not a document to prove citizenship.
These remarks were made in response to questions regarding the passport's use as proof of citizenship for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted by the Election Commission in several states.
Officials reiterated that a passport is issued for international travel and is not a document to establish citizenship.
Political Reactions And Legal Framework
The MEA's stance has triggered sharp reactions from opposition parties, including the Congress, who questioned how a passport could not reflect a holder's citizenship.
The Congress criticised the MEA, alleging that the government might be preparing to arbitrarily deny citizenship rights to those with whom it disagrees.
Jaiswal further clarified, "An Indian passport is a document that, as per the Passports Act, 1967, is issued by the Government of India to regulate the departure from India of citizens of India."
He added that the issue of passports to Indian citizens is governed by The Passports Act, 1967, and Passports Rules, 1980. He concluded by reiterating that "Currently, less than eight per cent of Indian citizens hold a passport."
