NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted the Centre two more weeks to file its reply to a plea by academician Ashok Swain challenging a purported blacklisting order, barring him from entering India.
Swain, Head of Department aat the Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University in Sweden, claimed in his petition that he was prevented from entering India on basis of a blacklisting order under the Foreigners Act, which was “revealed to him in a counter affidavit filed by the Centre in his earlier petition on the issue.” The Embassy of India to Sweden and Latvia cancelled Swain’s OCI card under the Citizenship Act on February 8, 2024. A request for additional time was made by the Centre’s lawyer before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav.
“On request of respondent’s counsel, two weeks further time to file reply is granted,” the high court said and listed the matter for further hearing on July 23. The court had issued notice on Swain’s petition in November last year and asked the Union Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs, Embassy of India to Sweden and Latvia and Bureau of Immigration to file their replies within three weeks.
July 23 next date
A request for additional time was made by the Centre’s lawyer before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav
The HC has listed the matter for further hearing on July 23