FRANKEY FERNANDES
The Goan I MELBOURNE
In a significant development for the Indian community in Australia, the Supreme Court has upheld a Delhi High Court order directing the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to conduct a fresh tender process for outsourcing visa and consular services at the High Commission of India (HCI) in Canberra.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana declined to interfere with the High Court’s judgment, which also applies to Indian missions in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Singapore.
The Supreme Court directed the MEA to complete the fresh tender process at the earliest, preferably within three months.
However, it modified some of the High Court’s directions to give the ministry more flexibility in ensuring that visa, passport and consular services continue without disruption during the transition period.
The ruling comes after months of uncertainty and inconvenience faced by Indians in Australia following the suspension of several passport, visa and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) services due to the tender dispute.
The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to help the appointment of a new service provider and restore regular consular services for thousands of Indians and members of the Indian diaspora in Australia.
