NEW DELHI: The External Affairs Ministry on Tuesday said an Indian passport is a government-issued document meant to regulate the departure of Indian citizens from the country and is issued only after due verification, amid a debate over whether passports can be used to establish citizenship.
Responding to questions at the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said an Indian passport is issued under the provisions of the Passports Act, 1967.
“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,” Jaiswal said.“It is issued after due verification laid out by an established process.”
“The issue of passports to Indian citizens or any other individual is governed by the Passports Act, 1967 and Passports Rules, 1980. Currently, less than 8% of Indian citizens hold a passport”, he said.
The clarification comes after senior MEA officials, speaking at a briefing on Passport Seva Divas on June 24, described the passport as a travel document rather than a document of citizenship.
Responding to a question on whether a passport could be used as proof of citizenship for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out in several states, the officials had said the passport is intended to facilitate the transit and travel of Indian citizens through foreign countries and territories.
The remarks sparked a debate, including on social media, with the opposition Congress criticising the government over the issue.