Former Supreme Court Judge Madan Lokur said the government's statement that an Indian passport is only a travel document is a serious mistake.

This dispute touches on the legal definition of citizenship and the authority of state-issued documents. If a passport is not recognized as proof of citizenship, it could create significant legal hurdles for individuals proving their national identity in domestic or international contexts.

Lokur, who also serves as the Chairperson of the United Nations Internal Justice Council, discussed the issue during an interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire [1]. He said the government should apologize for the assertion that the document does not serve as proof of citizenship [1].

According to Lokur, the passport is recognized as official evidence of Indian citizenship rather than merely a tool for travel [2, 3]. The tension arises from a government position that seeks to decouple the travel utility of the passport from the legal status of the holder.

However, other official perspectives have highlighted the weight of the document. A Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said a passport remains the state's strongest and most authoritative official evidence that its holder has been recognized as an Indian citizen for international purposes [3].

Lokur's critique emphasizes the contradiction between the government's recent claims and the established role of the passport as a primary identity marker. He said that reducing the document to a travel permit ignores its fundamental legal function, an assertion he believes requires a formal apology from the state [1].

“The statement that a passport is only a travel document is a serious mistake and the government should apologise.”

The disagreement highlights a critical tension between administrative convenience and legal rights. If the state successfully argues that a passport is not proof of citizenship, it lowers the threshold for the government to challenge an individual's nationality, potentially increasing the vulnerability of citizens in legal disputes over residency and rights.