Days after Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang made a ruling against the six-month-old birth certificate requirement for a new passport, a city businessman has moved to the court after he too was denied his travel document which he says he needs urgently.
Just over a month ago, attorney Saphier Husain Subedar took legal action after an immigration official refused to accept his application for a new passport because his birth certificate was not issued within the last six months, a new requirement which was enforced by the Ministry of Home Affairs. After hearing arguments, Justice Chang on Wednesday made an absolute order directed to the Chief Immigration Officer who is also Police Commissioner (ag) Seelall Persaud quashing a decision as orally stipulated by Immigration Officer Mr Parris on June 18, that the attorney must produce
