This new Indian “Orange Passport” may create discrimination: Experts

Hyderabad: After MEA issued statement to introduce “Orange Passport“, experts opined that separate coloured passport would create discrimination.

According to the report published in DC, the ECR (Emigration Check Required) passports will be given to persons whose qualification is less than matriculation.

“As the last page of the passport would not be printed now, the passport holders with ECR (Emigration Check Required) status would be issued a passport with orange passport jacket and those with non-ECR status would continue to get a blue passport,” an MEA statement read.

Reacting to this, Mr. Bheem Reddy, a Trade Union Leader said that ECR and non-ECR passports would create discrimination. He further said that passport holders whose qualification was below matriculation was given a book with a different colour over 15 years back which was abolished later.

Former Minister for NRI Affairs, Mr Shabbir Ali expressed the same views and said that different passport will create discrimination as it would help identify persons with less qualification.

Meanwhile, the Regional Passport authorities said that orange colour passport will be ready in the next three months.