In a significant judgment, the Madras High Court has clarified that a married woman does not require her husband's consent or signature to apply for a passport.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh made this observation while hearing a petition filed by a woman named Revathy. She had approached the court after officials at the Regional Passport Office (RPO) refused to process her passport application without her husband's signature on Form-J.

Revathy, who got married in 2023, is currently involved in a matrimonial dispute. Her husband has filed for divorce, and the matter is pending in a local court. Despite submitting her passport application in April, authorities refused to move forward, citing the absence of her husband’s signature and the ongoing legal case.

Challenging this requirement, Revathy moved the High Court seeking a direction to issue her a passport without delay.

In his ruling, Justice Venkatesh strongly criticized the stance of the passport office, noting that such conditions reflect a deeply ingrained patriarchal mindset. He remarked that treating married women as though they belong to their husbands is outdated and unacceptable.

"The applicant’s passport request must be considered on its own merits. Requiring a husband’s consent implies a disturbing notion that a woman loses her autonomy after marriage,” the judge stated.

He emphasized that a woman retains her individual identity after marriage and should not be expected to obtain her husband's approval to access her legal rights. “Demanding a husband's permission for a passport is incompatible with a society striving for gender equality. It represents a form of male dominance,” he added.

Justice Venkatesh directed the RPO to process Revathy’s application without further delay, provided she meets all other formal requirements. The passport must be issued within four weeks, the court ordered.