Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 1: In a significant development, the Division Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal has disposed off two Letters Patent Appeals filed by the Union of India against a previous order directing the return of Rakshanda Rashid, a Pakistani national, to India.
The case gained attention after the writ court directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to bring back Rashid, who had been deported to Pakistan earlier this year. She originally entered India in 1990 on a visitor visa and remained in the country on a long-term visa (LTV), which was renewed annually. During her stay, she married an Indian citizen and lived in Jammu for several years.
However, after the April 2025 terror incident in Pahalgam, the Union Government revoked several valid visas under Section 3(1) of the Foreigners Act, 1946. Rashid’s visa was among those canceled, and she was issued a Leave India Notice. Subsequently, she was escorted out of India through the Attari-Wagah border on April 29, 2025.
Challenging her deportation, Rashid filed petition in the High Court and Single Judge initially granted interim relief and directed authorities to bring her back. The Union of India appealed against this order.
During the appeal proceedings, the Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta with DSGI Vishal Sharma, informed the court that the competent authority had taken an in-principle decision to issue a visitor visa to Rashid, allowing her to re-enter India. This would also enable her to pursue pending applications for Indian citizenship and a new long-term visa.
Counsel for Rashid accepted the proposed course of action and both parties agreed to close the case on these terms.
The Division Bench recorded the mutual agreement and deemed the original writ petition as withdrawn. The impugned interim order was declared ineffective and void.
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