Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:44pm on 15 Jul 2026,Wednesday India
The Centre clarified that an Indian passport is issued under the Passports Act, 1967, to regulate the departure of Indian citizens after due verification, amid debate over whether it can serve as proof of citizenship. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said passport issuance follows the Passports Act, 1967, and Passports Rules, 1980, through an established verification process. He also noted that fewer than 8% of Indians currently possess a passport. The clarification came in response to questions linked to the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The issue sparked political controversy after earlier remarks describing passports primarily as travel documents rather than standalone proof of citizenship.
