CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday allowed Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s plea challenging the Centre’s decision to deny political clearance for his proposed visit to France to attend SIAL Paris 2026, an international food trade exhibition, news agency PTI reported.The Punjab government had approached the court seeking the quashing of the Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) decision, describing it as “arbitrary”. The visit was scheduled from October 15 to 21, while the exhibition is being held from October 17 to 21.Punjab additional advocate general Ferry Sofat, one of the lawyers representing the state government, said a bench of Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya allowed the plea after hearing the matter. A detailed order is awaited, he said, according to PTI.Sofat said the Centre, in its reply before the court, cited two reasons for denying clearance: security concerns and the absence of an invitation for the chief minister.The state government submitted that the invitation had been attached when it applied for permission. On the security issue, the government argued that it had sought clearance well in advance and that the Centre could not rely on this ground to deny permission, Sofat said.In its 56-page petition, the Punjab government stated that Mann’s visit was proposed in connection with the participation of the Punjab State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd. (MARKFED), the state’s apex cooperative, in SIAL Paris 2026.According to the petition, MARKFED’s stall had been allotted under the APEDA India Pavilion by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), a body under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.The plea also stated that the Indian Mission in France had been consulted, administrative approval and cadre clearance had been granted, and MARKFED would bear the entire expenditure for the visit.Speaking to reporters in Phillaur, Mann expressed gratitude to the high court for allowing him to travel. He questioned why he had to approach the court to obtain permission for a visit intended to promote Punjab’s interests.“The high court has granted me permission to go… But why should we have to obtain permission from the high court for this? Do we now have to approach the court for everything?” he said.Criticising the Centre’s decision, Mann contrasted the restrictions on his travel with the Prime Minister’s overseas visits. He said he wanted to travel to bring investment to Punjab and participate in a food trade exhibition where MARKFED would set up a stall, rather than attend a political rally.“We are going there to promote Punjab’s interests, not to hold a political rally,” Mann said.He also questioned the denial of permission for his proposed visit to Japan last month for hockey events at the Asian Games. Mann said officials were granted permission to travel, while he was not, and reiterated that his proposed overseas engagements were connected to Punjab’s interests.
