The Central Government informed the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that political clearance has been granted to Delhi’s Education Minister, Atishi Marlena, for her official visit to the United Kingdom.
A single-judge Justice Chandra Dhari Singh was hearing Marlena’s plea seeking directions from the Union of India to process all necessary clearances. She has been invited by Cambridge University to speak at a conference titled “India at 100: Towards Becoming a Global Leader,” scheduled for June 15.
The Union Government’s counsel informed the court that political clearance was granted on the previous day and that the matter is currently with the Department of Economic Affairs. It was further stated that Atishi, who possesses a diplomatic passport, may apply for her visa. Acknowledging the submissions made by the Union Government, the court disposed of the plea.
The plea, filed through Advocates Hrishika Jain, Aman Naqvi, and Bharat Gupta, emphasized the significance of the proposed visit for Delhi’s governance, as it would allow the city government to showcase its advancements in the areas of education, health, and urban development. It further argued that any further delay in granting clearance would render the purpose of the visit futile.
The plea also highlighted that administrative clearance for Marlena’s travel request, dated May 18, was granted by the Delhi Government. Subsequently, the proposal was approved by the Lieutenant Governor on May 26 and forwarded to the Union of India for necessary clearances. However, no decision had been made on the proposal.
The plea contended that restricting Marlena’s right to travel abroad based on discretionary grounds encroaches upon her personal liberty.
“The proposal was forwarded to the central government authorities for processing of further clearance. It has been more than 10 days now, and no clearance has yet been issued to her. ”In the present matter, the respondents’ non-decision on the matter till 06.06.2023, has left only eight days for all further formalities and visa approval, serving in effect as an arbitrary non-decision of the proposed visit,” the plea added.
Previously, Marlena had filed an application seeking similar relief in a pending petition filed by Delhi’s Transport Minister, Kailash Gahlot, challenging the requirement for State Government Ministers to obtain political clearances from the Centre for personal visits abroad. However, the court instructed her to file an independent petition.
