Madras High Court's BIG verdict: Not necessary for woman to get husband's signature while applying for passport

In a big move, the Madras High Court, on Friday declared that it is not necessary for a woman to get the permission of her husband and take his signature before applying for a passport before the authority.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh declared the ruling while disposing a woman's petition who sought direction to the authorities to issue a fresh passport without insisting signature from her husband in a time bound manner.

“It is not necessary for a wife to get the permission of her husband and take his signature before applying for a passport before the authority,” PTI quoted Judge Venkatesh as saying.

What was the case about?

In her petition, the woman, Revathi stated that despite a pending divorce case filed by her husband after their marriage in 2023, the Regional Passport Office (RPO) refused to process her passport application submitted in April 2025, citing the need for her husband's signature in Form-J before proceeding.

‘nothing short of male supremacism…’

The Madras High Court also noted that forcing the wife to get her husband's signature when the relationship between the parties was in doldrums, was like asking the woman to fulfil an impossibility, reported Live Law.

"The practice of insisting for permission from the husband to apply for a passport, does not augur well for a society which is moving towards woman emancipation. This practice is nothing short of male supremacism", the judge further noted while hearing the case.

The judge also noted that the insistence made by the RPO shows the mindset of the society in treating women who were married as if they were chattel belonging to the husband.

Passport to be issued in four weeks

Justice Anand Venkatesh directed the RPO to process the woman's passport application and issue a passport in her name on her satisfying the other requirements. This process shall be completed within four weeks, the judge added.