The Centre on Thursday clarified that an Indian passport has never been regarded as conclusive proof of citizenship, stating that no new policy has been introduced and that the legal position has remained unchanged for decades. The clarification came a day after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated during a media briefing that a passport is primarily a travel document and should not be treated as definitive proof of Indian citizenship. The remarks triggered criticism from Opposition leaders, prompting the government to explain the legal basis for its position. The government said the distinction is rooted in the Passports Act, 1967, and has also been upheld by judicial pronouncements, including a Bombay High Court ruling in 2013. Government cites Passports Act, 1967 In its clarification, the government referred to Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1967, which empowers the Central Government to issue a passport or travel document even to a person who is not an Indian citizen under specific circumstances. “Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions relating to issue of a passport …