Passport meant to ‘regulate departure’ of Indian citizens from country: MEA

The HinduIndependentCenter3 hr. ago

The Ministry of External Affairs' Official Spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, clarified during a press briefing that an Indian passport serves to 'regulate the departure from India of citizens of India,' based on the Passports Act, 1967. He emphasized that passports are issued through a verified process and noted that less than 8% of Indian citizens currently hold one. This statement follows a previous government official's reference to the passport as a 'travel document' rather than a 'citizenship document.'

Bias read (Center): The article presents a straightforward clarification from an official source regarding the legal purpose of passports, without overtly favoring any political stance. It provides factual information based on existing laws and does not frame the discussion in a way that suggests ideological leaning.

Hindustan TimesIndependentCenter7 hr. ago

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that Indian passports are issued to 'regulate the departure' of citizens from the country and are not documents of citizenship. This came in response to debates sparked by previous statements from MEA officials during a Passport Seva Divas event, where they stated that passports are travel documents, not proof of citizenship. The clarification followed criticism from the opposition Congress party and references to a 2013 Bombay High Court judgment that similarly dismissed passports as evidence of citizenship. The MEA emphasized that passport issuance follows strict verification processes under the Passports Act, 1967, and noted that less than 8% of Indian citizens hold passports.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the MEA's official stance on passports as a regulatory tool rather than a citizenship document, which is a factual clarification. While there is some political context with mentions of opposition criticism and judicial references, the framing remains neutral, focusing on legal,官