PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that the issue of considering both ‘Revocation Certificate’ and ‘Surrender Certificate’ as valid documents for applying for OCI card registration is under consideration of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), New Delhi, and it will take a final call in the matter.
The Chief Minister also strongly refuted the Opposition’s charges that the circular dated April 4, 2024, issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), was an election gimmick used to cheat people during Lok Sabha elections and denied that State government had purposely kept under the wraps the corrigendum dated April 30, 2024, issued by the MEA.
“Home Ministry will give its decision as early as possible. The Goa government is constantly communicating with the Ministry of Home Affairs in this regard,” Sawant said.
After the Ministry of External Affairs issued the circular dated April 4, 2024, stating that ‘Revocation Certificate will be a valid document in lieu of ‘Surrender Certificate’ for obtaining OCI card, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was prompt in thanking the Government of India for accepting the request of the State government and claiming that it would be a relief to thousands of Goans.
This is a “great news” for the people of Goa, Sawant had said in a post on X last month. During the campaigning for Lok Sabha polls, the Chief Minister had claimed the credit for resolving the OCI card registration issue.
Refuting the Opposition’s charges that the circular dated April 4 by the MEA was an election gimmick used to cheat people, Sawant said, “We have not cheated anyone. We need to take the fact into consideration that the second circular (corrigendum) issued by the Ministry of External Affairs says that the matter is under consideration of the Ministry of Home Affairs.”
“They (MHA) have not said no. It will give its final decision,” the Chief Minister said, reiterating that the State government had not purposely kept under wraps ahead of elections.
The MEA issued a corrigendum dated April 30, 2024, stating that the ‘Revocation Certificate’ as an alternative document in lieu of ‘Surrender Certificate’ is under consideration of the MHA, New Delhi.
The corrigendum has diluted the earlier circular issued by the MEA dated April 4, 2024, which had stated that the MHA had decided to accept ‘Revocation Certificates’ instead of ‘Surrender Certificates.’
The High Court of Bombay at Goa by an order on May 6, had ruled that individuals seeking OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cards registration, can apply using ‘Revocation Certificates’ as valid documents in lieu of ‘Surrender Certificates’, based on the circular issued by the MEA dated April 4, 2024.