The Press Club of India (PCI) has voiced concern after the name of R. Rajagopal, former editor of The Telegraph, was reportedly deleted from the West Bengal voters’ list, a development the body says has led to the non-renewal of his passport for more than 100 days following an “adverse” police report. The PCI said the issue prevented Rajagopal from travelling to the United States to attend his daughter’s wedding despite his holding a valid visa.
Describing the situation as alarming, the PCI said: “It is appalling that in the world’s largest democracy, the bureaucracy gets to decide who is a citizen and who is not.” The press body urged authorities to treat the matter with urgency so personal and professional plans are not unduly disrupted.
The PCI highlighted the wider implications of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in West Bengal, warning that Rajagopal’s case could point to broader problems. “If a respected senior editor and a well-known figure like Rajagopal is facing difficulties to prove his Indian citizenship in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) carried out in that State by the Election Commission of India (ECI), what hardships must lakhs of ordinary citizens must be enduring through that process is a significant question that emerges from this instance,” the press body said.
The organisation also drew attention to the case of senior journalist and author Samrat Choudhury, whose passport was reportedly impounded earlier this month after an “adverse” police verification report. Choudhury said his passport had been issued under the Tatkal scheme in 2022, with police verification carried out subsequently, and that he has held an Indian passport since 1993. He added that his name appears on the electoral rolls of Meghalaya, his place of birth, and that no explanation was given for questioning his citizenship before his passport was taken into the government’s “safe custody” on Passport Seva Divas.
The PCI has urged the Election Commission of India and the Ministry of External Affairs to review both cases and to “exercise prudence and common sense” by restoring Rajagopal’s voter registration and returning the passports of the two senior journalists. The press body also called for greater sensitivity toward others who may have faced similar difficulties during verification processes, saying such episodes raise serious questions about transparency and the potential hardships imposed on ordinary citizens.
Original Source: https://nenews.in/politics/press-club-of-india-raises-concern-over-passport-issues-faced-by-senior-journalists/55678/
Category: Politics,Election Commission of India (ECI),Press Club of India,voters list
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Publish Date: 2026-06-29 22:43:00
