'Could lead to international repercussions': Former Supreme Court judge Lokur questions MEA's passport stance
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Could lead to international repercussions': Former Supreme Court judge Lokur questions MEA's passport stance")
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur criticised the MEA's view on passport Photograph: (X)
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur criticised the MEA's view that a passport is merely a travel document, calling it a misreading of the Passports Act. He said the law clearly distinguishes between a passport and a travel document
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur has criticised the Indian government's stand that an Indian passport is a travel document and not proof of citizenship. Speaking at the Conclave on Federalism and Citizenship at the Constitution Club in New Delhi, Lokur warned that such an interpretation could have far-reaching international consequences. He also said that treating a passport as something other than evidence of citizenship could create complications for Indian travellers abroad.
“If the government itself does not treat a passport as proof of citizenship, it could lead to serious international repercussions,” Lokur said,according toLive Law. Referring to the Preamble of the Passports Act, Lokur also said that the legislation was enacted "to provide for the issue of passports and travel documents, and to regulate the departure from India of citizens of India and other persons." He added that Parliament had deliberately used the terms "passport" and "travel document" separately throughout the statute.
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"Parliament does not make laws and use superfluous words or words that have no meaning. Therefore, when the Passports Act talks about a passport and a travel document, it means these are two separate documents. To say that a passport is nothing but a travel document is a complete misreading of the provisions of the Passports Act," he said.
What MEA said on passports?
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India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday (June 25) that an Indian passport is primarily a travel document and does not serve as proof of citizenship. MEA clarified that passport is a travel document. Under Section 5, a passport authority issues passport only after verifying that the applicant is a citizen of India. However, it may not be a proof because the document exists to grant permission to travel abroad and return to India. It acts as a document that establishes your nationality internationally, but it does not conclusively determine your underlying citizenship status. Before MEA's statement, speaking at the 14th Passport Seva Divas to mark the expansion of services, an official had also clarified that the document has legal limits.As a political debate erupted, the MEA clarified that its position has remained unchanged for years.
