The Kerala High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre on a public interest writ petition challenging its decision to introduce orange colour cover for emigration-check required passports.
The petition was filed by Shamsudeen from Karunagapally, Kollam, and another person.
According to them, the orange colour cover was being introduced to segregate undereducated people. In fact, emigration check was required for the passport holders who did not have education beyond 10th grade and had less taxable income who sought emigration for employment.
The petitioners pointed out that the decision would make underprivileged status of an emigrant known publicly through separate colour code. And it was a grave invasion into their fundamental right to privacy and dignity.
The segregation was demeaning and violated the principle of equality.
The chances of harassment and exploitation of such workers would be more when their vulnerable status was made known through separate colour coding.
They said they were aggrieved by the decision of the Centre to omit the last page details of the passport. The move was not supported by any cogent reason.
It amounts to segregating a class of citizens on the basis of their underprivileged status and treating them as second class citizen.
