Take govt nod before accepting foreign hospitality: Govt to MPs, judges

NEW DELHI: Leaders of political parties, MPs, MLAs and judges have been barred from accepting foreign hospitality by the government without obtaining prior approval from the relevant authorities.

No member of a legislature, or office bearers of political parties, judges or government servants while visiting any country outside India, can accept any foreign hospitality, except with the prior permission of the central government, Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami said in a letter to Chief Secretaries.

To streamline the procedure for securing permission, it has been decided that applications with respect to government servants and employees of corporations or any other body owned or controlled by the government shall only be accepted online, the letter states.

Applications by MPs and MLAs and office bearers of political parties and judges may be made online or physically, it says.

The applicant has to submit a scanned copy of the invite from the host country or organisation and the administrative clearance from the ministry or government department concerned.

The Union Home Ministry has put up the detailed instructions for applicants at www.fcrapnline.nic.in.

So far, applications seeking permission to accept foreign hospitality had to be submitted in the form of hard copies along with the forwarding or recommendation letter.