CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed authorities to consider granting an emergency visa to a Sri Lankan national blacklisted from entering India, citing humanitarian grounds – his mother is bedridden.
After hearing either side, Justice M Dhandapani noted that, in the absence of any such adverse material, his continued blacklisting was disproportionate. The mother was a senior citizen and is now bedridden, in need of immediate care and assistance from her son.
In these circumstances, citing humanitarian grounds, the court was inclined to grant him limited relief. The court thus directed the son to submit an application for grant of an emergency visa before the High Commission of India, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The court further directed the High Commission to coordinate with the Ministry and consider the application for grant of an emergency visa and pass appropriate orders within two weeks.
The court added that, while considering the application, the authorities shall also consider the request for removal of the blacklisting, subject to certain conditions.
The petitioner, Agambal Meiyappan, who is a septuagenarian, filed a plea before the Madras High Court stating that she was a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee residing in Tamil Nadu for several decades. She mentioned that she and her late husband were recognised as persons of Indian origin and were granted Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status.
The petitioner’s son, Niraikumar Meiyappan, though a Sri Lankan national by birth, had resided in India from the year 1987. After the death of her husband, her minor son overstayed as a foreigner.
Subsequently, it came to light, and thereafter her son voluntarily surrendered his passport before the Passport Office at Tiruchy. Thereafter, a penal amount of Rs.1.34 lakh was collected towards the period of overstay, and her son was placed under blacklist categories ‘B’ and ‘C3’, resulting in denial of entry into India.
She further stated that the court directed the Joint Secretary (Foreigners Division), Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Chief Immigration Officer / FRRO to remove his name from the blacklist and grant him an emergency entry visa on humanitarian and medical grounds.