Govt’s U-turn on orange passport

New Delhi, January 30

The External Affairs Ministry tonight announced that it has reversed its decision on the issuance of an orange-coloured passport to those who have ECR status, as also on printing of the last page with personal details.

The decision was taken at a meeting, chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and attended by one of her two deputies VK Singh, among others, yesterday.

Based on the recommendations of a three-member committee comprising officials of MEA and the Women and Child Development Ministry, it was decided not to print the last page of the passport booklet, the MEA said in a release.

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The Ministry had earlier decided to issue a passport with orange jacket to passport holders with Emigration Check Required (ECR) status, with a view to help and assist them on a priority basis.

“However, the MEA has received several representations requesting to reconsider these two decisions,” it said.

After discussions with stakeholders, “the MEA has decided to continue with the practice of printing of the last page of the passport and not to issue a separate passport with orange colour jacket to ECR passport holders”, the release said.

The MEA decision had been criticised by political parties. — PTI