Centre challenges Madras HC passport ruling

India Jul 02, 2025

The government is planning to appeal a Madras High Court ruling that lets married women apply for passports without needing their husband's signature.
The original case was about a woman whose passport was held up because her estranged husband wouldn't sign during their divorce.

Need for consent is regressive, said the court

This fight is bigger than paperwork—it's about whether women need their husband's consent for basic documents.
The government claims the rule prevents misuse, but the court called it "male supremacy" and said marriage shouldn't erase a woman's rights.
If the ruling stands, it could make life easier for women in tough marriages and push India closer to gender-equal rules in official processes.