2009 Supreme(J&K) 11
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AT SRINAGAR
Muzaffar Hussain Attar, J.
Mohd. Ashraf Khan & Ors. - Appellant
Versus
State Of J&K & Ors. - Respondent
OWP No. 15/2009
Decided On : 21 January, 2009
Advocate For Appellant: Arshad Andrabi
Advocate For Respondent: None
The judgment establishes the limitations of foreigners' rights in India, the power of the government to expel foreigners, and the process for acquiring and surrendering citizenship.
Headnote:
Foreigners - Citizenship and Immigration - Citizenship Act 1955, Foreigners Act 1946, Passport Act 1967 - The judgment discusses the rights and limitations of foreigners in India, the power of the government to expel foreigners, and the process for acquiring and surrendering citizenship.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioners, claiming to be hereditary state subjects of J&K, challenged a notice to leave India as they had entered the country on a Pakistani passport and visa, and were acquitted of charges under the Foreigners Act 1946.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the petitioners, originally Indian citizens, had voluntarily acquired Pakistani citizenship and entered India on a limited visa. The court dismissed the writ petition, stating that the petitioners' continued stay in India was against the constitutional scheme and other laws of the land.
Issues: The issues included the petitioners' claim to be hereditary state subjects, their acquisition of Pakistani citizenship, and their challenge to the notice to leave India.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the petitioners' continued stay in India was against the constitutional scheme and other laws of the land, and that the writ petition was burdened with irrelevant and unwarranted pleadings.
Final Decision: The writ petition was dismissed, but the competent authority was not precluded from considering the petitioners' claim about their non-voluntary surrender of Indian citizenship and restoration of Indian citizenship.
2. It is not only the jurisdiction and power of an independent sovereign country like ours to safeguard its borders from illegal incursions and intrusions, but is also its solemn duty, in order to maintain and preserve the territorial in dependence of our country to ensure that no foreigner is permitted to gain foot hold on our land except in accordance with procedure established by law, as otherwise, said act would be fraught with serious consequences. No foreigner has any guaranteed right to stay in this country without permission of the competent authority. And every foreigner is duty bound to leave the country as and when ordered to do the same. A foreigner™s entry and continuation in this country is not an absolute right and he can be asked to leave the country at any point of time. A foreigner who enters this country carries with him all the limitations which include to regulate not only his entry but his movement in this country. He cannot be permitted to move in this country in his own right and according to his own wish. He cannot be permitted to stay in the country without proper permission granted by the competent authority. The Supreme Court in case titled Louis De Raedt v. Union of India reported in AIR 1991 SC
1886 after referring to and relying on case titled Mans Muller of Nurenburg vs. Superintendent Presidency Jail Calcutta reported in AIR 1955 SC 365 has in para 13 ruled as under: -
The next point taken on behalf of the petitioners, that the foreigners also enjoy some fundamental rights under the Constitution of this country is also of not much help to them. The fundamental right of the foreigner is confined to Article 21 far life and liberty and does not include the rights to reside and settle in this country, as mentioned in Article 19(1)(e), which is applicable only to the citizens of this country. It was held by the Constitution Bench in Mans Muller of Nurenburn v. Superintendent, Presidency Jail, Calcutta (1955) 1 SCR 1284: AIR 1955 SC 367, that the power of the Government in India to expel foreigners is absolute and unlimited and there is no provision in the constitution fettering this discretion. It was pointed out that the legal position on this aspect is not uniform in all the countries but so far the law which operates in India is concerned, the Executive Government has unrestricted right to expel a foreigner. So far the right to be heard is concerned, there cannot be any hard and fast rule about the manner in which a person concerned has to be given an opportunity to place his case and it is not claimed that if the authority concerned had served a notice before passing the impugned order, the petitioners could h