A Union Ministry of External Affairs order asking the Malappuram passport officer to continue the functioning of the office here on the same premises “until further orders” has raised confusion.
The order has also asked the passport officer to renew the lease agreement with the building owner until December 31. The passport office here had been closed down and was made part of the Regional Passport Office, Kozhikode, last month.
The staff members were transferred to Kozhikode and the entire furniture was removed.
Malappuram passport officer G. Sivakumar was transferred to Coimbatore.
The closure of the passport office here was effected in spite of a mass demand led by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) against it.
IUML general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, MP, approached the High Court against the shifting of the passport office. The case is pending.
A Central government order dated December 5 addressed to the Malappuram passport officer had asked him to continue the functioning of the office at the building which had already been vacated.
Officials at Kozhikode passport office said they were not aware of the government
order.
Mr. Sivakumar, who continued to function as passport officer here until November 30, could not be reached for his response.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kunhalikutty expressed happiness and angst at the government order. He said that the government could not turn a blind eye on a mass demand against shifting of the passport office. At the same time, Mr. Kunhalikutty said that the government order asking for renewal of the lease agreement until December 31 was a matter of concern.
He said that he would continue his legal fight against the shifting of the Passport Office if the government did not act in favour of it.
