Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti have been denied a passport after an “adverse” report by the CID of the J&K police.
The J&K High Court bench headed by Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey dismissed the plea of Ms. Mufti, who had sought expedition of the process to issue her a passport.
“I am of the considered view that no direction can be issued by this court for issuance of a passport in favor of the petitioner. The scope of this court in the matter of grant or otherwise of passport in favor of an individual is very limited…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 court asserted.
Earlier, on Monday, the Passport Officer, Srinagar submitted to the High Court that the ADGP, CID, J&K, has categorized the application of Ms. Mufti as a “not recommended passport case”.
“As per norms, clear Police Verification Report (PVR) is mandatory [for issuance of a passport]. The PVR received from the ADGP, CID, does not favor issuance of passport and [was] returned as ‘not recommended for passport case’. In view of the CID report, your case was found to attract refusal under the provision Section 6(2) (c) of the Passport Act, 1967,” the officer submitted.
Therefore, 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.
