Plea Filed In High Court To Stop Haryana Police From Allegedly Cancelling Passports Of Protesting Farmers

A plea has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking directions to Haryana's Ambala Police to refrain from initiating cancellation of passports and VISAs of farmers involved in "peaceful protests", without proper legal procedures.

Uday Pratap Singh, a practicing lawyer has filed an application in the PIL pertaining to farmer's protest. The farmers are protesting in demand of a law guaranteeing MSP, among other things.

Singh states that on February 28, an alarming announcement was made by DSP Ambala, pertaining to the initiation of the cancellation of passports and visas of farmers who have been "peacefully protesting for their rights over the past weeks."

Section 10 of the Passport Act, 1967, provides specific grounds for impounding or revoking passports and travel documents. These grounds include national security concerns, obtaining passports by fraudulent means, tampering with passports, suppression of material information, and convictions for certain offences involving moral turpitude.

The actions of the Ambala Police in cancelling passports and visas without adhering to the provisions of Section 10 of the Passport Act raise serious legal concerns and warrant immediate judicial intervention, stated the application.

The plea also seeks directions to Haryana Police to immediately cease the alleged use of buckshot pellet guns during crowd control operations, in compliance with the prohibition stipulated in the Punjab Police Rules of 1934.

The PIL is listed for March 07.

Case Title: Uday Pratap Singh v. Union of India and Others