Passport officer, police exceeded brief in Lucknow interfaith couple case: Sources
Over-ruling objections raised by the passport officer Vikash Mishra and Lucknow Police, the passports of inter-faith couple Mohd Anas Siddiqui and Tanvi Seth were finally approved by the Regional Passport Office Lucknow, putting an end to 15-day social media brouhaha over the issue.
Highly-placed sources in the Regional Passport Office claimed that objections raised by passport officer Vikash Mishra were not in contravention to the new rules for making a new passport. The new rules clearly suggest that no marriage certificate was required to declare marriage. A simple declaration from the couple is all needed to prove that they are married.
Thus, raising doubts over their inter-faith marriage by passport officer Vikash Mishra was uncalled for. He should have simply suggested them to write an application in the form of a declaration to remove his doubts over the couple’s marriage as per new rules.
Nikahnama had never been a valid document to prove couple’s marriage. The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board’s demand in making nikahnama a valid document was long rejected by the Ministry of Exernal Affairs (MEA).
“It’s not the business of the passport officer to question someone’s name, faith and religion if documents submitted are genuine and support the name and religion she/he wants on the passport,” said a senior official of the Luck now Passport office.
“Our job is to go by the rule book and many new rules have been introduced in the last two years by the MEA to make passport making hassle-free. Our minister is very sensitive to issues related to women facing trouble in making passports and she has relaxed many rules in favour of inter-faith marriages, widows and divorced women,” claimed he.
As far as objections raised by the Lucknow Police are concerned that Tanvi Seth and Anas were not residing on their Lucknow address for the past one year then new rules are that passport seekers are given three chances for their address verification. “It is not the sole ground to reject anyone’s passport. We had verified their Noida address and it was found to be correct,” said the officer.
Refusing to make any comment on social media brouhaha and support to passport officer Vikash Mishra, the official claimed that passports of Tanvi Seth and Mohd Anas Siddiqui have been validated and it should now put an end to controversy surrounding it.
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