KOCHI: A PIL was filed by the Kerala High Court, issuing a notice to the central government, imputing its verdict regarding the introduction of orange colored passports for checking emigration.
In his supplication, legal counselor Shamsuddeen Karunagappally contended that such a move would prompt isolation of individuals from lower strata of society and with less formal education. As indicated by a current Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) proclamation, the passport holders with ECR (Emigration Check Required) status would be issued an identification with orange-hued coat and those with non-ECR status would keep on getting a blue international ID.
A solicitor told that emigration check is required for passport holders, not having a formal education past the tenth standard, and having not as much as assessable salary, who look for movement for business and employment.
It is a grave attack of their fundamental right to security and pride which would make their underprivileged status known freely through isolated shading code.
A petitioner charged that the move will make functional hardships to vagrant specialists, as the odds of provocation and misuse will increment when their powerless status is influenced obviously on the travel permit through discrete shading to code.
The petitioner was likewise grieved by the administration’s choice to discard last page of the passport containing subtle elements including the holder’s address.
According to the MEA statement, the recommendations of a three-member panel, comprising officials from the MEA and the ministry of women and child development, were accepted and it was decided that the last page of the passport and other travel documents issued under the Passports Act, 1967 and Passport Rules, 1980 “would no longer be printed”.
The choices influence a substantial class of Indians who have relocated to different nations looking for employment and occupation.
After the preparatory hearing, a division seat including Acting Chief Justice Antony Dominic and Justice Dama Seshadri Naidu issued the notice to the Union government.