JAMMU , June 22, 2026 : Congress MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, on Monday voiced concern over delays in passport issuance across Jammu and Kashmir, stressing the need for faster and more efficient delivery of passport services to applicants in the Union Territory.
Leading a delegation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee during its visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Tharoor and other members inspected the Passport Seva Kendra in Jammu and held extensive discussions with officials from the Regional Passport Office, representatives of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), police authorities, and the postal department.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Tharoor said the committee had identified concerns regarding delays that were affecting passport applicants across the region.
“We are concerned about some of the delays that have been impeding passport issuance in this area. We have been raising some very strong questions because we want to see improvements and speeding up of passport delivery for applicants in Kashmir, Leh, Srinagar and Jammu,” Tharoor stated.
He described the visit as meaningful and productive, noting that committee members engaged in constructive discussions aimed at identifying bottlenecks and recommending measures to improve the passport issuance process.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee is expected to compile its observations and recommendations into a report for further consideration by the concerned authorities.
BJP MP Arun Govil, who is also a member of the committee, said discussions focused on challenges in passport issuance and possible solutions.
“We held discussions on the issuance of passports and also took some suggestions. Based on this, we will submit our report,” Govil said.
The committee is on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir from June 22 to June 25, 2026. Besides reviewing passport-related services, the panel is also scheduled to deliberate on key strategic issues, including India-China relations and the way forward along the Indo-China border, as well as recent developments in India-Pakistan relations, particularly concerning border management and regional security.
The visit underscores Parliament’s focus on improving public service delivery in Jammu and Kashmir while simultaneously examining important foreign policy and national security issues affecting the region.
