The Legal Quagmire
The lead editorial “Citizen’s Burden” (28 June 2026) aptly sums up the illogicality of demanding multiple proofs from ordinary citizens for establishing their citizenship.
The lead editorial “Citizen’s Burden” (28 June 2026) aptly sums up the illogicality of demanding multiple proofs from ordinary citizens for establishing their citizenship.
Last week the Republic said something true about itself, and the nation recoiled. The Ministry of External Affairs clarified on Passport Seva Divas that a passport is a travel document and not a document of citizenship. The statement was legally unimpeachable.
When the government insists that an Indian passport is not proof of Indian citizenship, something more than a legal clarification is at stake.
The Centre has clarified that an Indian passport is not conclusive proof of citizenship, saying the legal position has remained unchanged for years and is backed by the Passports Act and Bombay High Court rulings.
The application filed by petitioner-Dr. Ashok Kumar Behera-was rejected on the ground that he was unauthorizedly absent since 28 September 2013 and three departmental proceedings were pending agains
West Bengal Police, probing the fake passport racket in the state, claimed to have got specific information about its kingpin Samaresh Biswa's network of Bangladeshi agents.
Some employees of Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) in bordering districts of West Bengal were under the scanner of security and intelligence agencies in connection with arranging fake Indian documents, including passports, for Bangladeshi infiltrators.
As per the data released by IGIA police, total 19 foreign nationals caught included 12 from Bangladesh, three each from Myanmar, Nepal and one from Afghanistan.
India’s economic performance in the April-June quarter, though slightly below expectations, continues to demonstrate the resilience that has positioned it as the world’s fastest-growing major economy. With a GDP growth of 6.7 per cent year-on-year, India outpaced China’s 4.7 per cent growth during the same period.
He stated this in a message as the MEA commemorated the 12th Passport Seva Divas to mark the enactment of the Passports Act on 24 June 1967. Coinciding with this, a three-day Regional Passport Officers (RPO) Conference was organised from 22-24 June in Delhi.
