No one has the right to return the Padma Award, only the President can cancel it, know what are the rules

The issue of Olympic medalist wrestler Bajrang Punia leaving his Padma award outside the PM's residence is in the headlines. This is not the first time that someone has returned his award in this way. In the last few years, many people have returned the Padma Award. Despite this, Bajrang Punia will remain on the list of Padma award winners, because there is no provision to return this honour. According to a TOI report, an official has said that the award winner can announce the return of the honour for some reason, but there is no such rule for the Padma award. Only the President can permit to cancel the awards without reason.

The report further quoted the official as saying that the names of the award winners remain in the register till then. Unless the award is cancelled. There is no history of cancellation of Padma awards. In 2018, the then Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had said in the Rajya Sabha that these awards are given only after character verification by the investigating agencies of the country.

Generally, the willingness of the person proposed to be honoured with the Padma Awards is ascertained before the announcement. After a person is honoured with Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan or Padmashree, the name is published in the Gazette of India, a register of which is also maintained. The official said that even if the awardee himself later returns the Padma award, the name remains in the gazette or the register of awardees.

The list of those returning Padma awards also includes former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and former Union Minister SS Dhindsa. In a letter written to the President in 2020, he said that he was against the 3 agricultural laws and was returning the award in solidarity with the farmers. Despite this, his name is still on the list of Padma Award winners.