Current Affairs - Bills and Acts - Discussion

The Supreme Court reaffirmed that the right to personal liberty, which includes the right to hold or renew a passport, flows from Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The Court emphasised that personal liberty is not a concession granted by the State but a fundamental constitutional obligation. In the Mahesh Agarwal vs Union of India case, it clarified that the mere pendency of criminal proceedings cannot automatically deprive an individual of passport rights. Any restriction on such rights must follow due process of law and meet constitutional standards, reinforcing the expansive and protective scope of Article 21.