'If passport isn't proof of citizenship, then what is?' Shashi Tharoor questions Centre, suggests Aadhaar overhaul

Reacting to the Ministry of External Affairs' clarification that a passport is primarily a travel document and not definitive evidence of citizenship, Tharoor said the distinction may be legally valid but is incomprehensible to ordinary citizens.

"For decades, the passport has been regarded as the gold standard of identity. Citizens undergo extensive police verification and document scrutiny precisely because the state demands proof of citizenship before issuing one. To now say that this document does not establish citizenship creates an absurd legal paradox. If a passport does not prove citizenship, then what does?" Tharoor wrote in a post on X.

Government cites Passports Act

The clarification has sparked political debate after the MEA reiterated that its position is rooted in Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1967, which allows the government, under exceptional circumstances and in the public interest, to issue passports or travel documents to non-citizens.

Government sources stressed that this is not a new interpretation.

"It was not decided yesterday, nor during the last 12 years under the Narendra Modi government. A passport has never been legal proof of citizenship," a government source said.

Tharoor proposes legislative changes

To end the controversy, Tharoor urged the government to amend the legal framework so that both passports and Aadhaar cards become conclusive proof of Indian citizenship unless cancelled or revoked by the state.

He acknowledged, however, that Aadhaar currently serves as proof of residence rather than nationality, making it available to both citizens and eligible non-citizen residents.

As a solution, Tharoor proposed that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) issue a visually distinct Aadhaar card for non-citizens, suggesting a design featuring a visible diagonal red stripe.

According to him, such a distinction would allow the government to treat a standard Aadhaar card or a valid Indian passport as sufficient proof of citizenship, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and eliminating confusion during processes such as electoral roll revisions.

"This dual-document policy would streamline domestic verification, reduce arbitrary bureaucratic challenges and provide every Indian with clear legal certainty regarding their identity," he argued.

Passport fees revised

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing debate, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday published a gazette notification dated June 20 announcing a revision in passport fees.

The application fee for a fresh ordinary 36-page passport has been increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500.