HC asks Centre to consider granting relief to Sri Lankan woman married to Indian

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The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has asked the Centre to see granting alleviation to a Sri Lankan Tamil woman, who joined an Indian successful 2018, seeking Indian citizenship connected humanitarian grounds.

The tribunal was proceeding the petition filed by Fathima Riyasa, a Sri Lankan citizen, who fell successful emotion with Abdul Jabar, an Indian, and joined him successful 2018 successful Sri Lanka. She came to India connected an Indian visa. The mates settled successful Pudukkottai territory and they person 2 children.

The petitioner’s Indian visa and Sri Lankan passport expired. She sought renewal of some and besides applied for Indian citizenship. Since it was not forwarded by the District Collector to the Centre, the contiguous petition was filed. The Centre, successful a antagonistic affidavit, submitted that since she was an amerciable immigrant, her lawsuit could not beryllium considered.

Justice G. R. Swaminathan observed that this was a lawsuit of cross-border love. Love could transcend nationalist boundaries too. There was nary law oregon statutory request that matrimony could beryllium lone betwixt 2 citizens of a nation.

When determination was nary strain successful the matrimonial narration of the couple, the close to beingness guaranteed nether Article 21 of the Constitution would see the close to unrecorded with one’s spouse. Article 21 of the Constitution was applicable to citizens and non-citizens alike, the justice said.

When the cardinal close of the petitioner was astatine stake, the tribunal had to onslaught a equilibrium adjacent if determination were insurmountable barriers. The justice projected to effect specified a equilibrium by invoking Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1967. The proviso empowered the Centre to contented passport oregon question papers adjacent to a non-citizen, helium said.

The involvement of justness required that the petitioner was allowed to enactment successful India. If she was deported, she would beryllium separated from her hubby and children. The contented could beryllium viewed from the position of the children too. They were entitled to maternal love, the justice said.

The petitioner was permitted to taxable an exertion to the Centre seeking alleviation nether Section 20 of the Passports Act and the Centre could favourably see it. As an alternative, she could get renewal of her Sri Lankan passport and thereafter, question hold and validation of her Indian Visa. The 2 courses of enactment were unfastened to her, helium said.

Published - January 09, 2026 09:39 p.m. IST

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