Congress MPs move Kerala High Court after denial of Entry Permit to Lakshadweep

Members of Parliament (MPs) from Kerala, TN Prathapan and Hibi Eden, have filed a petition before the Kerala High Court seeking directions to the Lakshadweep island Administration to issue permits to them for entry to the islands (TN Prathapan v. Union of India). .Both petitioners are Congress MPs elected to the 17th Lok Sabha from Thrissur and Ernakulam constituencies respectively. In their plea before the High Court, the petitioners submitted that they had decided to pay a visit to the islands after the recent administrative decisions and proposed laws by the Central government had sparked off protests in the Union Territory. Kerala has a deep socio-economic and political connection with Lakshadweep and a large number of islanders reside in their constituencies on mainland, the plea said. .To better understand the issues faced by the residents, the petitioners decided to pay the Union Territory a visit, which was sponsored by the Lakshadweep Territorial Congress Committee, a local level organisation of the Indian National Congress..Towards this end, the petitioners submitted relevant application forms to secure entry permits according to the guidelines of Laccadive Minicoy & Amindivi Islands (Restrictions on Entry and Residence) Rules, 1967..However, in response they received an email from the Additional District Magistrate of Lakshadweep informing them of a mandatory 7-day quarantine requirement and that they should visit the islands when the Covid situation improves, the petitioners claimed. .They further highlighted that they informed the administration that they are vaccinated and willing to abide by all quarantine restrictions and reiterated their earlier request which was denied again..In this regard, the petitioners adverted to Rule 7(1) of Laccadive Minicoy & Amindivi Islands (Restrictions on Entry and Residence) Rules, 1967, which states that on receipt of an application under Rule 5 or Rule 6, the competent authority may call for such additional information or make such inquiry as it deems necessary for disposing of such application and may either issue the permit or renew or endorse the permit as required by the application or after giving the applicant a reasonable opportunity to represent his case reject by order in writing such application..Besides violation of the Rules, it was also the petitioners' submission that the conduct of the respondents was in violation of Articles 14, 19(1)(e) and 21 of the Constitution of India..Moreover, the Administrator of Lakshadweep visited the islands without following COVID Standard Operating Procedures, the plea alleged. Therefore, the respondents are deliberately not issuing entry permits to the petitioners so as to turn attention away from the "illegal and arbitrary measures" introduced by the Central government, it was submitted. .Prathapan and Eden, therefore, sought orders to the Lakshadweep Administration to issue entry permits to them..When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, the Standing Counsel for Lakshadweep was granted one week time by the High Court to get instructions.The petition will be heard next on June 23, 2021.