Madras High Court Rules Wife Does Not Need Husband’s Signature for Passport Application

The Madras High Court, in a decisive judgment on June 20, 2025, held that a married woman does not require her husband’s permission or signature to apply for a passport. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh described the practice as “nothing short of male supremacism” and affirmed that marriage does not erase a woman’s independent legal rights.

🔍 Case Snapshot:

Petitioner: Revathi, based in Chennai, whose passport application filed in April 2025 was held up by the Regional Passport Office because her estranged husband had not signed.

Context: Her husband had filed for divorce, rendering his signature “practically impossible” to obtain.

Judgment Highlights:

Ordered the Passport Office to process and issue her passport within four weeks, provided all standard criteria are met.

The Court reinforced that insisting on the husband’s signature reflects a patriarchal mindset, treating women as property rather than autonomous individuals.