The Bombay High Court accepted Imran Khan's apology for participating in a protest against the Chief Election Commissioner, extending his interim relief. Khan, a US citizen with an OCI card, was asked to submit an undertaking not to join future protests, as OCI holders lack the right to protest in India.
ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2026, the Bombay High Court asked actor Imran Khan to tender an unconditional apology and submit an undertaking. The court made these observations in an ongoing case in which Khan, who is not an Indian citizen, participated in a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 10, 2026, at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The court said that Imran Khan needed to apologise for taking part in the protest and submit an undertaking that he would not participate in any future demonstrations or protests.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna accepted the apology and undertaking on record. Khan holds US citizenship and an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, which does not allow the holder to participate in protests. The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Mumbai, had issued a notice asking Khan to leave India by October 28, 2026. Khan challenged this notice before the High Court and the date was further extended to November 2, 2026.
Imran Khan challenged the Leave India Notice and moved to the Bombay High Court, seeking interim protection against deportation. The court had earlier postponed the deportation deadline of October 28, 2026, and has now extended the interim protection following Monday's hearing. The court has given the Delhi Belly actor time to respond to the FRRO notice.
According to the Bar and Bench, the court said that OCI cardholders like Imran Khan do not enjoy the same rights as Indian citizens. "You are an OCI holder, you are distinct from Indian citizens. You have no right to protest. The right to protest is not available to OCI," the court said. The court also observed that the protest in question was related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which did not directly concern the actor. "You will have to categorically make a statement that you had no association with the protests etc. Because the agitation was with regards to SIR, with which you have no concern at all."
The court also questioned Khan about his motive for attending the protest and asked whether he had any association with the organisation holding it. "You need to clarify, were you there for protests or for some other work? You will have to categorically make a statement that you had no association with the protests etc. Because the agitation was with regards to SIR, with which you have no concern at all," the bench said, as quoted by LiveLaw.
The court also questioned Khan about why he had never applied for Indian citizenship despite living in India since childhood. "Apply for citizenship. You have stayed here, worked here."
Imran Khan was represented by Senior Advocate Venkatesh Dhond, who told the court that the actor neither had any specific purpose nor any association with an organisation behind the protest. He said Khan attended the demonstration only out of curiosity after learning that various organisations were holding a protest on October 10, 2026. He also added that Khan had lived almost his entire life in India and had both his career and family here.
Dhond mentioned that the actor was willing to give an undertaking that he would not take part in any future protests. Khan also submitted an apology in which he expressed his love for the country and said that he had always followed its laws. He further clarified that he had not intended to participate in the protest and had only visited the site to see what was happening.
The Additional Solicitor General appearing for the Centre, Anil C Singh, opposed Khan's petition and argued that OCI cardholders have limited rights. He said Khan could not claim the same rights as an Indian citizen and added that he had not merely attended the protest but had also allegedly instigated youngsters to participate through social media posts. He also argued that the government has the authority to ask foreign nationals to leave the country.
While acknowledging the Centre's authority, the court also questioned the circumstances under which the Leave India Notice against Khan was issued. It observed that the notice had been issued without giving him an opportunity to present his side of the story.
The court questioned whether such an order could be passed without giving Khan an opportunity to explain himself. "Can such an order be passed, especially considering the fact that he hasn't violated any law of the land all these years?" the Chief Justice orally asked, as reported by LiveLaw.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for December 7, 2026.
[Rh/VP/VS]
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