politics · 2026-10-16
Mumbai police tell actor Imran Khan to leave India
Hindustan Times
Mumbai police told American actor Imran Khan, who holds an OCI card, to leave India by October 28. He joined a protest, and the notice raises questions about what foreign citizens can do here.
Why was Imran Khan asked to leave India?
Imran Khan, an American citizen who holds an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, was ordered to leave India by October 28 after joining an October 10 protest in Mumbai calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. Police say foreign nationals cannot join political protests, though OCI rules do not explicitly bar protest attendance. Khan plans to challenge the notice in the Bombay High Court.
What does an OCI card actually allow?
An OCI card gives a lifetime, multiple-entry visa to India, no need to register with police, equal domestic airfares and monument fees, and the right to buy property except farmland. It does not grant Indian citizenship, so cardholders cannot vote or hold public office.
What was the October protest about?
The October 10 protest at Mumbai's August Kranti Maidan demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Kumar faced allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, a special drive to update voter lists, with an investigation reporting over 13 crore names struck from draft rolls. Imran Khan attended and was detained.
What happened after police detained him?
He was released the same day. Days later, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya filed complaints against him, and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, the agency that tracks foreign visitors, issued a Leave India Notice ordering him out of India by October 28. Khan planned to challenge this in the Bombay High Court, but no court outcome has been reported.
Does an OCI card give the same rights as Indian citizenship?
No. The OCI card is a privilege card, not citizenship. India's Constitution does not allow dual citizenship, so an OCI cardholder remains a foreign national. They get a lifelong visa and some economic rights, but cannot vote, contest elections, or hold constitutional posts like President or Supreme Court judge.
What can an OCI cardholder not do?
An OCI cardholder cannot vote, contest elections, or hold constitutional posts like President or Supreme Court judge, nor be appointed to public services. They also cannot buy agricultural land. However, rules don't expressly ban peaceful protests, leaving that legally unclear.
What rights does an OCI card actually give in India?
An OCI card is a lifelong, multiple-entry visa, not citizenship. It grants parity with Indians on air fares, entry fees, and property purchases, but bars voting, running for office, and holding constitutional posts. Section 7D, a legal clause on revoking OCI status, lets the government revoke OCI status for disaffection toward the Constitution, which petitioners are challenging as arbitrary.
What happens next in Khan's case?
Khan plans to challenge the notice in the Bombay High Court, arguing no rule bars OCI holders from peaceful protests. The court's ruling will decide whether the Foreigners Act permits such bans. If the court sides with him, OCI holders could protest freely; if not, it sets a precedent for deporting foreign nationals over political activity.
Source: livemint.com