The Delhi High Court this week sought a response from the central government over a plea by French journalist Vanessa Dougnac against her being denied permission to work as a journalist in India.

Dougnac, an OCI card-holder, had challenged an order passed in September 2022 by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office. She said the order “contravenes her right to dignity in as much as it results in her complete exclusion from participation in society’s activities and her right to contest any allegations”, Livelaw reported.

Dougnac sought a direction from the government to restore her OCI activity permissions. 

Accordingly on Monday, Justice Subramonium Prasad asked the ministries of home affairs and external affairs to respond within a week and listed the matter for hearing on March 12. He said the matter needed “immediate attention”.

Dougnac has lived in India for 23 years and is married to an Indian citizen. She writes for French publications Le Point and La Croix, and Swiss and Belgian daily newspapers Le Temps and Le Soir from South Asia. 

After receiving the notice in 2022, she received another notice in January 2024 alleging her reportage created a “biased negative perception about India”. It asked why her OCI card shouldn’t be cancelled.

Dougnac denied these allegations. But last month, she issued a statement saying she was “forced to leave India”. Read Newslaundry’s detailed coverage on what happened.

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