LOOK OUT CIRCULAR-The Hindu-22-08-2022

GS-2
GOVERNANCE

CONTEXT :CBI issued LOC TO 8 private person in Manish Sisodiya case.

PRELIM & MAINS—---

What is look out circular ?

An LOC is issued to make sure that an individual who is absconding or wanted by law enforcement agencies is not able to leave the country. It is mostly used at immigration checkpoints at international airports and seaports by the immigration branch.

Who can issue an LOC?

An LOC can be initiated by a large number of authorised officers, including an officer not below the rank of deputy secretary, an officer not below the rank of joint secretary in the state government, a district magistrate or superintendent of police.

Recent change in LOC authority :

In 2018, the government also empowered the heads of public sector banks to directly request the authorities to issue an LOC against wilful defaulters to prevent them from leaving the country. So now, an officer not below the rank of chairman/managing director/chief executive of any public sector bank can make a request.
An LOC can be modified/deleted/withdrawn by the Bureau of Immigration only on the specific request of the authorised originator on whose request the LOC was issued.

What is Bureau of Immigration ?

The Bureau of Immigration (BoI) is an Indian government agency responsible for administering immigration related functions such as immigration facilitation service at airports and foreigner registration.
The agency was established in 1971, and is headed by the Commissioner of Immigration.
The BoI functions as an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Home Affairs but does not come under any of the Ministry's Departments.
The BoI manages 37 of the 86 immigration check posts operating in India. The remaining are controlled by the respective State Governments.


Does an LOC lead to arrest?

Not necessarily. LOCs can be of several types. They can seek to merely stop a person against whom the circular has been issued from travelling outside the country, to prevent a person from entering the country, or inform the concerned investigation agencies. The proforma of the LOC also contains a request to detain the individual.