Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: The deadline for deciding on one such case is June 2, so the NGO Goans for Goa (GFG) has criticized the Goa government for remaining silent on the Central government’s corrigendum regarding OCI applications.
“Even though this corrigendum was issued on April 30, eight days before the petition was decided, the government’s defense attorney failed to present it in the High Court on May 6. Kennedy Afonso, the founder president of GFG, stated, “This suppression of material information is a serious violation amounting to contempt of court.”
An Office Memorandum issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on April 4 declared that “Revocation Certificates” were acceptable as substitute documents for “Surrender Certificates” by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). But subsequently, the MEA released a corrigendum stating that the MHA is now reviewing this issue.
The Regional Passport Office and other relevant government agencies were instructed by the High Court to follow the April 4 MEA OM, which communicated the MHA’s decision for OCI registration, during the hearing of multiple petitions contesting the cancellation of Indian passports held by Goan origins with Portuguese nationality.
A petitioner contended that he was unable to present a passport surrender certificate since the RPO had issued a revocation certificate, for which the authorities were instructed to reevaluate the petitioner’s application in a fortnight. The government neglected to notify the High Court about the April 30 corrigendum in spite of the May 6 order.
“The Indian government needs to follow through on the promise it made to the High Court, accept the May 6 order, and release a notice announcing that it will no longer be issuing OCI. This would be a final resolution. The defense lawyer must file the corrigendum in the High Court by June 2 if the MHA rejects the High Court order, according to Afonso. This will allow the court to issue a new ruling that will provide the impacted parties relief.
