Reasonable increase: Delhi HC rejects plea challenging passport fees hike for Indians living abroad

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition challenging the Centre's decision to increase passport fees for Indians living abroad, saying that the 67 per cent hike after 14 years was not unreasonable or exorbitant.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma noted that before this, the government had given effect to the last hike in 2012.

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The bench said the decision to determine passport processing and renewal fees falls within the policy domain of the government and judicial intervention was not warranted in this case.

"As long as such fees, which are levied towards the renewal of a passport or for processing of a passport, are not found to be unreasonably exorbitant, the court is not required to interfere with such policies," the bench said.

"After 14 years, it is a reasonable increase... we are not inclined to show any indulgence," it further said.

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The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Pravasi Legal Cell contending that there was a disparity in the passport fees charged by Indians living here and non-resident Indians (NRI) who are made to pay Rs 5,000 or more.

The petitioner's counsel argued that overseas Indians are required to pay around Rs 11,900 for passports, compared to Rs 2,500 for Indian residents.

The lawyer said the revised fee represented an increase of approximately 67 per cent, from around Rs 7,000 to Rs 11,900, imposing a significant financial burden on low-income workers such as mechanics, plumbers and construction workers.

Indian workers employed in Gulf countries, particularly those belonging to economically weaker sections, were being required to pay substantially higher fees than Indian residents, the lawyer submitted while urging the court to consider their case.

The counsel said that such a fee will put an unbearable burden on migrants living in the Gulf region who make very little money.

The court, however, asked how the economic status of these workers would be certified and whether certification by another country could bind the Indian government.

It said financial decisions taken by the government warrant judicial restraint and that the proposed mechanism to assess the financial condition of Indians working abroad fell within the government's domain.