HC seeks Centre’s reply to Ashok Swain’s plea against ‘blacklist order’ preventing entry into India

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Union government on a petition filed by Sweden-based professor of Indian origin Ashok Swain against an alleged blacklisting order preventing him from entering India, Live Law reported.

This was despite judicial orders quashing the Union government’s cancellation of his Overseas Citizenship of India card, he said.

Justice Sachin Datta sought the response of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs, along with the Indian embassy in Sweden and the Bureau of Immigration.

The matter will be heard next on December 18.

Overseas Citizenship of India is an immigration status that allows foreigners of Indian origin to live and work in India indefinitely.

Swain, who holds Swedish citizenship, is an academic and professor of peace and conflict research at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Sweden’s Uppsala University.

In February 2022, Swain’s Overseas Citizen of India card was cancelled on the basis of allegations that he had delivered inflammatory speeches and promoted “anti-India” activities.

Swain had moved the High Court contending that his card was cancelled because of his statements critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party government.

In July 2023, the High Court set aside the order cancelling Swain’s Overseas Citizen of India card and told the Union government to pass a detailed order explaining why it was...

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