Obtaining a Passport Is a Constitutional Right; Citizens Need Not Prove ‘Need’ for Foreign Travel: Jammu & Kashmir & Ladakh High Court

In a significant ruling reinforcing the constitutional protection of personal liberty, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has held that every citizen has the right to hold a passport without being compelled to prove an urgent need for foreign travel. The judgment was delivered by Justice Sanjay Dhar while examining the rejection of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) sought by the petitioner, Zahoor Ahmad Pahalwan. Background Of…