Issue passport to women without discrimination: SC

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday directed the government to issue passports to women under 35 years of age, without the consent of their guardians.

Acting upon a writ petition filed by two women, Punyabati Pathak and Mana Basnet Karki, a division bench of justices Badri Kumar Basnet and Balram KC gave the order to the government.

The petitioners had challenged the cabinet decision of 1995, which had barred the government authorities from issuing passports to women under 35 years of age without the consent of their guardians.

The bench also asked the government not to impose any such restrictions against women who want to obtain passports.

“The provision cannot exist since it is against the right to freedom guaranteed by Article 12 (2) of the Constitution,” the division bench ruled.

Terming the provision discriminatory against women, the bench said the requirement of guardians’ consent to obtain a passport is against the spirit of the Universal Declaration 1948 and Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966.

The bench also directed the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, Ministers of Home and Foreign Affairs, Women Children and Social Welfare and the Kathmandu District Administration Office to issue passports without imposing such a criteria. nepalnews.com pb Nov 29 05