26,000 Goans surrendered Indian passports since 2015
PANAJI
The Regional Passport Office (RPO) and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) of the Goa Police have confirmed they are prepared with records of Goans who have surrendered their Indian passports, amid the Chief Electoral Officer’s ongoing effort to clean up the electoral roll.
“Whatever details are available in our office, as per the processes that take place, we have them with us. Once the CEO approaches us, we will submit the list,” an officer at the RPO said.
The FRRO conveyed the same position, adding they will still verify the available data before submitting the report to the CEO. Official sources further said that assistance from the Ministry of Home Affairs may also be sought to compile elaborate information.
The move comes as the CEO is working to identify individuals who have relinquished Indian citizenship but continue to appear on the State’s voter list. There is currently no automated system that alerts election authorities when a voter surrenders an Indian passport.
The CEO, Sanjay Goel, had earlier stated that steps have been initiated to obtain official data from the FRRO and RPO to ensure that such names are removed from the rolls. He admitted the gap in the system, saying election authorities have no automated mechanism or digital mapping tool to flag cases of surrendering of Indian citizenship.
FRRO records reflect fluctuating trends in passport surrenders. In 2015, the figure was 3,875, rising to 4,139 in 2016, before declining to 3,634 in 2017 and 3,603 in 2018. The numbers dropped sharply in 2022 with 1,265 surrenders, but increased to 2,094 in 2023. From 2015 till date, approximately 26,000 Goans have surrendered their Indian passports.
