Bollywood Actor Imran Khan Heads to High Court to Fight Order to Leave India Over Election Protest
Bollywood actor Imran Khan is preparing to challenge a notice ordering him to leave India by 28 October, after he attended a protest calling for the chief election commissioner to resign. The case raises questions about whether an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder can be ordered to leave the country for taking part in a demonstration.
Khan, a US national who lives in India on an OCI card, is expected to petition the Bombay High Court, arguing that neither Indian law nor OCI rules prohibit cardholders from protesting. Police detained more than 400 people at demonstrations in Mumbai on 10 October and later named Khan in a police report; the notice followed a complaint alleging his participation breached his immigration status. An order to leave India is separate from the process of revoking OCI status.
- Imran Khan plans to challenge an order to leave India by 28 October.
- He says OCI rules do not bar cardholders from attending protests.
- Police detained more than 400 people at Mumbai demonstrations.
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An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card allows some people of Indian origin who hold another country’s passport to live in India long term. It is not Indian citizenship, and cardholders have conditions attached to their stay.
Imran Khan is a US citizen and Bollywood actor who lives in India on an OCI card. The dispute concerns his attendance at a demonstration calling for the chief election commissioner to resign, and whether taking part in a protest can breach the rules governing his stay.
The Bombay High Court is a court that hears cases from Maharashtra, including Mumbai. Its consideration of the challenge could clarify how immigration rules apply when OCI cardholders join political demonstrations.
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The case for
The government can argue that OCI status is a limited immigration privilege, not citizenship, and that the state may impose conditions on cardholders’ activities to protect public order and enforce immigration rules. If officials believe those conditions were breached, issuing a departure notice may be a lawful administrative step, subject to review by the courts.
The case against
Khan can argue that taking part in a peaceful political demonstration is not, by itself, a breach of OCI rules, and that a foreign resident should not face removal for expressing a view on public affairs. Because the notice affects his ability to live in India and may deter others from participating in protest, the government should identify a clear legal basis and show that its action is proportionate.
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