MEA reverses its decisions, no orange colour passport

The decision was taken at a meeting, chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and attended by one of her two deputies V K Singh among others, yesterday, the ministry said.

Based on the recommendations of a three-member committee comprising officials of MEA and the women and child development ministry, it was decided not to print the last page of the passport booklet, the MEA said in a release.

The ministry had earlier decided to issue a passport with orange colour jacket to passport holders with ECR status, with a view to help and assist them on priority basis, it said.

However, "the MEA has received several individual and collective representations requesting to reconsider these two decisions... the decision of the MEA on both these issues was reviewed in the light of these representations," it said.

After comprehensive discussions with the various stakeholders, "the MEA has decided to continue with the current practice of printing of the last page of the passport and not to issue a separate passport with orange colour jacket to ECR passport holders", the release said.

The MEA decision was criticised by political parties, including the Congress which said the separate orange colour passports to ECR category shows the BJP's "discriminatory mindset".