DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT

27.05.2024

DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT

Why in the news?                        

Nearly a month after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) began probing allegations of sexual assault and abuse against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have confirmed that the Karnataka government’s request to revoke the diplomatic passport of the suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader is “being processed.

Key Points

• Members of Parliament , when using diplomatic passports, are required to apply for prior political clearance directly to the MEA.This is also applicable for private visits. For a private visit to a foreign country requiring a visa, the MEA issues visa notes after the member submits a specific request with the necessary political clearance.
• Diplomatic passport holders do not need a visa note from the MEA when travelling to any of the 34 countries with which India has mutual visa waiver agreements for diplomatic passports. Under this exemption, the permitted period of stay ranges between 30 and 90 days.
• Germany, where Mr. Revanna allegedly fled to in April, is one of the countries that has an operational ‘Visa Exemption Agreement’ for diplomatic passport holders. A person travelling to Germany on a diplomatic passport can stay in the country without a visa for up to 90 days.
• Notably,the MEA has clarified that Mr. Revanna did not seek the necessary political clearances before his travel, nor did the Ministry issue any visa note for his travel to Germany.

What is a diplomatic passport?

• Under the Passport Act of 1967, the Central government issues three classes of passports: ordinary, official and diplomatic and travel documents such as emergency certificate and certificate of identity, to those who wish to leave the Indian mainland by land, water or air.
• The deep blue-coloured ‘ordinary passports’ are issued for personal travel for adults with a validity of 10 years for adults and five years for minors or till they attain the age of 18.
• Official passports with white jackets are issued to designated Government officials and other individuals specifically authorized by the Centre to work abroad on official assignments.
• A diplomatic passport, or Type ‘D’ passport, is for designated members authorized by the Centre to represent the country. These include senior government officials, Members of Parliament and their spouses. Such a passport has a maroon jacket and is valid for five years or less, depending on the position of the holder and the nature of their assignment and visit.
• While ordinary passports are issued through a network of passport offices across the country, the Consular, Passport & Visa (CPV) Division of the MEA exclusively handles matters related to the issuance of diplomatic and official passports.

What are the conditions under which a diplomatic passport can be revoked?

• The passport authority can impound or revoke a passport if the holder has provided wrong information, has been convicted in a criminal case, or there are pending criminal proceedings in an Indian court, or if it is in the overall national interest.
• Section 10(3) of the Passport Act of 1967, which deals with ‘variation, impounding and revocation’ of passports and travel documents mentions the circumstances in detail.
• As per the Act, a passport can be impounded or revoked if the holder is in wrongful possession or has provided wrong information to the authority; or if the authority believes that impounding or revoking the passport will be in the interests of the country’s sovereignty, integrity, security, maintaining friendly relations with a foreign country, in the interests of the general public; or any of the conditions of the passport have been unfollowed.
• The passport of a person convicted by an Indian court of an offense involving “moral turpitude” and sentenced to at least two years in prison after the passport was issued can also be confiscated.
• Further, a passport can also be impounded or revoked if there are pending proceedings against the holder in a criminal court, or if a court has issued a warrant or summons for the holder’s appearance or arrest, or if there is a court order prohibiting their departure from India, as in the case of Prajwal Revanna.
• Last week, a Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant against the absconding MP in the sexual assault case against him on a plea by the SIT investigating the case.

                                                                     Source: The Hindu

Question :- Consider the following statements regarding to the diplomatic passport:

Statement-I

Under the Passport Act of 1967, the Central government issues three classes of passports: ordinary, official and diplomatic.

Statement-II

The deep blue-coloured ‘ordinary passports’ are issued for personal travel for adults with a validity of five years for adults and ten years for minors.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.

B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.

C.Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.

D.Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct.

Answer C