The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has provided significant clarity regarding the issuance and purpose of the Indian passport in the current administrative and legal landscape. Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, recently addressed various queries concerning the legal framework and the actual reach of this official document among the Indian population. According to the official statement, the Indian passport is an official document issued by the Government of India under the specific and stringent provisions of the Passport Act 1967. The primary objective of this document, as defined by the ministry, is to legally regulate the departure of Indian citizens from the country and to manage their subsequent travel to foreign destinations in a structured manner.
Legal Framework and Issuance Process
Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that the entire process of issuing a passport to an Indian citizen or any other eligible individual is strictly governed by the rule of law. Specifically, the procedures are conducted in accordance with the Passport Act 1967 and the Passport Rules 1980. These legal statutes provide the necessary guidelines and authority for the government to manage and monitor the movement of citizens across international borders. The spokesperson clarified that a passport isn't issued arbitrarily; instead, it follows a rigorous set of protocols designed to ensure national security and legal compliance at every step of the application.
Mandatory Verification Procedures
One of the critical aspects of the passport issuance system highlighted by the ministry is the verification process, while jaiswal noted that before any passport is handed over to an applicant, all necessary and prescribed verifications must be completed. This verification is a mandatory step under the established legal framework to confirm the identity, address, and eligibility of the applicant. By adhering to these strict verification standards, the Ministry of External Affairs ensures that the document remains a credible and secure tool for international travel, reflecting the integrity of the Indian government's administrative and security processes.
Percentage of Passport Holders in India
In a revealing statistic that provides insight into the demographics of international travel in the country, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson shared data regarding the prevalence of passports among the Indian citizenry. It was disclosed that currently, less than 8 percent of the total population of India holds a valid Indian passport. This figure highlights that while India is a vast country with a massive population, the segment of people engaged in or prepared for international travel via a formal passport remains a relatively small fraction of the whole. The spokesperson reiterated that the management of this system and the issuance of these documents are entirely within the bounds of the law and follow the set procedures meticulously.
Context of the Recent Controversy
The clarification from the MEA comes in the wake of a discussion that gained momentum following Passport Seva Divas. On 24 June, during a press conference organized by senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs to mark the occasion, the nature of the passport was discussed in detail. At that time, officials had described the passport primarily as a travel document rather than a document of citizenship, while this distinction became a point of debate, especially concerning whether the passport could be used as proof of citizenship for administrative tasks like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists currently underway in several states across the country.
MEA Clarification on Travel vs. Citizenship
When asked for further clarification during a regular media briefing, Randhir Jaiswal reinforced the official stance of the government, while he stated that the Indian passport is a document issued by the Government of India specifically to regulate the departure of its citizens from India, as per the Passport Act 1967. The officials had previously noted that the document is intended for Indians to travel through and pass through foreign ports and territories. By framing it within the context of the 1967 Act, the Ministry has sought to define the legal boundaries and the specific functional purpose of the passport, ensuring that its role as a travel regulator is clearly understood by the public and other administrative bodies.