CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Indian High Commission in Colombo to consider the application of a Sri Lankan Tamil on humanitarian grounds for an emergency visa within two weeks.
The direction was issued on a petition filed by a 72-year-old Sri Lankan Tamil, with overseas citizen of India (OCI) card, seeking directions to issue visa by removing her son’s name from the blacklist of the Immigration department so that he can come to India and take care of her since she is bedridden.
“The petitioner’s son, Niraikumar Meiyappan, is directed to submit an application for grant of emergency visa with the Indian High Commission in Colombo along with copy of this order within a week; upon receipt of the application, the High Commission, in coordination with the respondent authorities, is to consider it on its own merits and in accordance with the law and by taking into account the humanitarian grounds within a week,” Justice M Dhandapani said in a recent order.
The petitioner – Agambal Meiyappan, currently staying in Tiruchy – stated that she and her late husband returned to Tamil Nadu with her minor son, Niraikumar, in the late 1980s. The couple had got an OCI card since they were Indian nationals by birth.
However, her minor son was given a passport with certain conditions. Later, he was subjected to action for overstaying and so, he surrendered his passport and paid the fine for overstaying before exiting the country. Yet, the Immigration department placed his name in the blacklist so that he could not return to the country (India), the elderly Sri Lankan Tamil woman said in the petition.
She sought the court to remove her son’s name from the blacklist and permit him to visit her. The bench directed the authorities concerned to consider removing his name from the blacklist by imposing certain conditions.