Srinagar- Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s application for a passport has been rejected by the Regional Passport Office here, based on an “adverse” police verification report.
In a letter to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, the passport officer has informed Mehbooba that her application for an Indian passport has been rejected as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Union Territory had recommended against granting the document to her.
The letter adds that Mehbooba can appeal against the decision at a higher forum provided by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Commenting on the rejection of her application, the PDP president said it shows the level of normalcy achieved in Kashmir.
“Passport Office refused to issue my passport based on CID’s report citing it as ‘detrimental’ to the security of India. This is the level of normalcy achieved in Kashmir since Aug 2019 that an ex Chief Minister holding a passport is a threat to the sovereignty of a mighty nation,” she wrote on Twitter.
Passport Office refused to issue my passport based on CID’s report citing it as ‘detrimental to the security of India. This is the level of normalcy achieved in Kashmir since Aug 2019 that an ex Chief Minister holding a passport is a threat to the sovereignty of a mighty nation. pic.twitter.com/3Z2CfDgmJy
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 29, 2021
HC Dismisses Passport Petition
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, in which she had sought a direction to the passport authority for the issuance of the document to her.
Dismissing the petition, Justice Ali Mohammad Magray observed that Mehbooba’s application for a passport was rejected by the passport officer, Srinagar as the police verification report recommended against the issuance of the document to her.
“In such circumstances, I am of the considered view that no direction can be issued by this court for issuance of passport in favour of the petitioner. Even otherwise, the scope of this court in the matter of grant or otherwise of passport in favour of an individual is very limited in as much as the court, in this behalf, can only direct the concerned authorities to expeditiously consider the case of an individual in the light of the mandate of the scheme of law governing the subject,” the judge said in his order.
The court observed that it did not find any reason to interfere with the course of action adopted by the respondents in the case and “as a sequel thereto, the petition of the petitioner is hereby dismissed, along with the connected CM(s). Interim directions(s), if any subsisting as on date, shall stand vacated”.
It, however, said the dismissal of the writ petition shall not come in the way of the petitioner for availing the remedy as may be available to her in accordance with the law. (With PTI Inputs)
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