Supreme Court Mandates Liberty in Passport Renewal Process

The Supreme Court ruled that liberty is an obligation of the State, not a gift. It held that passport authorities cannot demand a schedule of future journeys during renewals and emphasized that restrictions should be necessary and proportional to legal objectives. The decision arose from a case involving Mahesh Kumar Agarwal's passport renewal.

The Supreme Court has reinforced that liberty, within India's constitutional framework, is an obligation of the State, not a privilege granted by it. This decision impacts the passport renewal process, emphasizing that authorities should not ask for future travel plans or visas at the renewal stage.

The ruling emerged from a case involving Mahesh Kumar Agarwal, implicated in the coal block allocation scam. Despite pending legal proceedings, the Court asserted that individuals should not be automatically barred from passport renewal, provided that criminal courts allow travel under adequate supervision.

Fundamentally, the Court's decision underscores the balance between state power and individual rights, safeguarding liberty while ensuring it remains thoroughly guided by law. The decision mandates passport authorities to comply with judicial permissions, thus preventing unnecessary constraints on personal freedom.

(With inputs from agencies.)