Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 8: High Court has today sought response from the Police and the Passport office with regard to not issuing passport to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti within two weeks.
The PDP president had approached the High Court seeking direction on passport authorities and others to issue expeditiously the passport in her favour.
Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey sought response from both the departments after hearing Senior Counsel Jehangir Iqbal Ganai on her behalf. Court issued notice to CID department as also the Passport department for filing of response to the plea of petitioner-Mufti within two weeks.
Advocate Ganai submitted before the court that as per circular issued by Ministry of External Affairs Government of India, the passport of an individual is to be issued within 30 days but in the instant case, despite lapse of three months, passport has not been issued to the petitioner-Mufti.
Court when asked the passport counsel about the facts of the case, he informed the court that Passport Officer has already sought information from the Additional Director of Police (CID) on March 3 in this connection. The counsel produced the said copy before the court, which has been taken on record by the court.
The notice issued to both the departments has been accepted in open court by the counsel appearing for these departments and have sought time to file their response to the plea of Mufti. Court has made clear for the policy agency that the instant petition shall not form any impediment for them to expedite the verification in the case of petitioner.
As per the plea of Mufti her passport was valid up to May 2019 as such she applied for issuance of passport before Regional Passport Officer, Srinagar on 11.12.2020 and the police verification has also been sought from Additional Director General of Police CID and Superintendent of Police Srinagar in this regard.
She add that the report as sought by the Passport Officer has not been submitted by the SSP Srinagar compelling her to file a representation requesting therein that the said verification report be submitted as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of External Affairs Government of India at an earliest so that no delay is caused in issuance of passport in her favour.
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