P.K. Kunhalikutty, MP, has approached the High Court against the closure of the Regional Passport Office here. The court will begin hearing on the MP’s public interest litigation (PIL) next week.
Mr. Kunhalikutty had earlier approached External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with the request. But his request was turned down by the Minister, the MP said.
‘Blunt refusal’
Mr. Kunhalikutty said here on Tuesday that he had no way but to approach the High Court in the wake of the blunt refusal by the Central government.
In his plea to the court, he demanded that the move to merge the Malappuram Passport Office with the Regional Passport Office in Kozhikode be stopped. He submitted the letters of denial he got from Ms. Swaraj along with his application.
‘Many difficulties’
Mr. Kunhalikutty reiterated that closing down of the Regional Passport Office at Malappuram would bring innumerable difficulties to a large number of people in the State’s largest populated district, which enjoys the status of having the largest number of expatriates in the country.
The Malappuram passport office handled more than two million passports in 11 years since it came into being in 2006.
The office had earned ₹310 crore for the government during that period.
