Education minister moves High Court over UK visit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 6

Delhi Education Minister Atishi on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Centre to grant her clearance for her official visit to the UK next week.

The AAP leader said she has been invited in her official capacity by Cambridge University to speak at a conference on ‘India at 100: Towards Becoming a Global Leader’ to be held on June 15.

Any further delay in granting clearance would render the purpose of the visit infructuous, she said, adding restricting her right to travel abroad on a discretionary basis impinged on her personal liberty and violated the right to privacy.

“The proposal was forwarded to the central government authorities for further clearance. It has been more than 10 days now and no clearance has yet been issued,” she submitted. The petition is likely to come up for hearing on Wednesday.

The proposed visit is significant for Delhi Government as it will allow the city government to “showcase the leaps” made in areas of education, health and urban development, she submitted.

Requiring constitutional functionaries and ministers in state government to seek the Centre’s “political clearance” for travelling abroad violated the dignity and independence of a constitutional office, she contended.

While the Delhi Government accorded administrative clearance for travel last month, the central government “has only been responding” with queries and clarification after the Lieutenant Governor forwarded the proposal to it, thus delaying the whole process, including applying for a visa, Atishi submitted.