Ashok Swain. | Photo credit: File
The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Center to respond to academician Ashok Swain’s plea challenging the alleged blacklisting order barring him from entering India.
The court asked the Union ministries of home and external affairs, the embassies of India in Sweden and Latvia and the immigration office to submit their replies within three weeks. She referred the case for further consideration on December 18.
In his plea, Mr Swain said the authorities had acted in accordance with an undisclosed blacklisting order, the content and legal basis of which had not been communicated to him or tested against the procedural safeguards mandated by the Citizenship Act, principles of natural justice and constitutional protections.
The petition said Mr. Swain, a professor and head of the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Uppsala University in Sweden, was prevented from entering India on the basis of an alleged blacklisting order under the Aliens Act, as stated in the counter affidavit filed by the Center in its previous petition.
The High Court had earlier twice quashed the Centre’s order canceling Mr. Swain’s OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) card and gave the authorities liberty to issue him a fresh show-cause notice.
Mr Swain sought directions to enable him to enter India on his OCI card, to request records relating to the alleged blacklisting order and to cancel the blacklisting order or any other order restricting his entry.
He claimed that his old mother, who lives in India, is unwell and that he is her only son, and has not been able to visit India for several years.
Published – 14 Nov 2025 20:30 IST
