Evolve mechanism for remote passport issue to incapacitated persons: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to examine the feasibility of evolving a mechanism to process passport applications by physically incapacitated persons from their home [Sunny Bhatia Vs Union Of India & Anr.]..The Court passed the order while dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) plea that highlighted the difficulties faced by physically incapacitated persons in procuring passports. The Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela yesterday sought the Central government's response in the matter. Additionally, it also asked the government to consider introducing a scheme that would subserve such physically incapacitated persons who apply for passports. .This could be done through issuing guidelines enabling the collection of biometrics and other relevant data from the residence of such candidates, instead of making it necessary for them to visit the passport office, the Court suggested. “It is directed that competent authority of the government of India should consider formulation of certain guidelines, examine the feasibility of evolving a mechanism by processing the applications seeking passports by medically incapacitated persons by procuring biometric and other essential data without requiring the applicant to visit the passport office, and for deputing an officer for collecting the data from the residence of such applicants,” the Court ordered.The Court noted that just as the Unique Identification Authority of India evolved a mechanism of home enrolment to issue Aadhar card for medically incapacitated persons, the same can be done for procuring passport as well. .The petition was filed by Sunny Bhatia, the father of a boy in a permanent vegetative state, who was asked to be physically present at the passport office for procuring his biometric data and digital photographs.The matter will be heard next on April 16. .Advocates Sumer Singh Boparai, Sirhaan Seth, Prashant Singh and Surya Pratap Singh appeared for Sunny Bhatia.Central Government Standing Counsel Vikram Jetly alongwith Advocates Shreya Jetly and Ankur Yadav appeared for the Centre.[Read Order]