Revanth Reddy joins Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal, whose overseas visits were previously denied political clearance by the Centre.
Political and FCRA clearances are mandatory for chief ministers, with the MEA assessing foreign visits and bilateral considerations.
Foreign visits also require additional clearances, depending on the official’s position, delegation, destination and nature of the proposed visit.
Revanth Reddy Isn’t First: Why CMs Need Centre’s Nod To Travel Abroad
Revanth Reddy’s cancelled US visit has revived questions over political clearance, its legal basis and the Centre’s role in approving foreign trips by chief ministers
Summary
The Ministry of External Affairs has denied political clearance for Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s proposed visit to the United States (US), forcing the delegation to cancel the trip.
The decision, made public on Friday, has brought attention to the rules governing foreign travel by state chief ministers and the role of political clearance in such visits. Reddy, who is currently in London, will return to Hyderabad on August 23 instead of travelling onward to Boston. His overseas tour was originally scheduled to end on August 30.
The Chief Minister’s Office confirmed the cancellation, saying the TelanganaRising delegation was unable to proceed after the MEA denied permission on “political” grounds.
The development has also raised questions about when such clearance is required, how it is granted and whether similar restrictions have been imposed on other chief ministers.
Past Clearance Controversies
Several Indian chief ministers have faced similar travel restrictions. The ministry denied former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal clearance for the C-40 Climate Summit in Copenhagen in October 2019. Kejriwal faced another denial in July 2022 for the World Cities Summit in Singapore.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was denied permission to visit China in 2018 for a political exchange programme. The ministry later rejected her clearance to attend a World Peace Conference in Rome in September 2021.
The central government has enforced these restrictions across different political administrations. In 2012, the ministry denied political clearance to former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for a US meeting. Earlier, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda was denied clearance for a Thailand trip in 2011.
How It Works?
These clearances are mandatory. A Cabinet Secretariat circular dated May 6, 2015, mandates prior political and FCRA clearance for all foreign visits by chief ministers and state ministers. The Ministry of External Affairs grants this clearance to ensure state-level travel aligns with national foreign policy.
The Supreme Court established the legal basis for these restrictions in M Karunanidhi v. Union of India. The court ruled that a chief minister is legally a public servant under Section 21(12) of the Indian Penal Code and anti-corruption laws, making regulatory clearance obligatory.
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The ministry evaluates applications based on the event's nature, international participation levels, the specific invitation and bilateral relations. Since 2016, public servants have processed these applications online via epolclearance.gov.in. These applications are processed after coordination among various ministry divisions through a dedicated Coordination Division.
Other Required Approvals
Federal representatives follow distinct protocols. Union ministers require approval from the prime minister for overseas travel. Lok Sabha MPs need clearance from the Speaker, while Rajya Sabha MPs must obtain the Vice President's clearance. For officers up to the level of Joint Secretary, clearance is given by the minister concerned, while those above that rank require approval from a Screening Committee of Secretaries.
State officials must secure further approvals beyond political clearance. They require clearance from the Department of Economic Affairs. They must also obtain FCRA clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs if receiving non-UN foreign hospitality.
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Administrative timelines strictly govern these requests. A 2019 Department of Expenditure circular mandates that foreign visit proposals requiring Screening Committee or prime ministerial approval must be submitted 15 to 5 days before departure. The rules vary depending on the duration of the visit, the country being visited and the number of members in the delegation.
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