New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha that 422 individuals' passports have been seized by Indian authorities for travelling to Yemen despite the travel ban. No passports have been seized for travelling to any other country.
His response came in reply to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP Elamaram Kareem on the number of passports seized by the authorities in the country as the concerned persons travelled to Yemen or such countries.
In his reply, Jaishankar said, “In view of the fragile political and security situation in Yemen, the Government of India promulgated a travel ban to Yemen through Gazette Notification S.O. 3223 (E) dated 26 September 2017 (Annex-I). The Notification continues to remain in force. Under the provisions of this Notification so far, 422 passports have been seized by Indian authorities for travelling to Yemen despite the travel ban. No passports have been seized for travel to any other country”.
To mitigate the sufferings of the people, who had travelled to Yemen due to job compulsions or due to ignorance, the government has issued guidelines to all Passport Issuing Authorities to process the release of passports on a case-to-case basis, the Parliament was told by the External Affairs minister. “A final decision for the release of passports is taken by the Ministry of External Affairs and conveyed to Passport Issuing Authorities. So far, 169 passports have been released. Any Indian citizen whose passport has been seized for travel to Yemen despite the travel ban can approach the respective Passport Issuing Authority for the release of the passport. The government continues to take a compassionate view on individuals who have travelled to Yemen despite the travel ban”, Jaishankar said in his written reply in Rajya Sabha.
As per the government notification, any individual, who travels to Yemen despite the travel ban will be liable for action under section 12 of the Passports Act, 1967, and their passports will be impounded or revocated. The notification also said that those, who violate the ban won't be eligible for a passport for seven years from the date of revocation of their passport.
