Imran Khan’s Leave India Notice on Hold Till November 2

Imran Khan will not have to leave India by October 28 after all. The Bombay High Court has kept a “Leave India” notice issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in abeyance until November 2, after the central government sought more time to put forward its response.

The deadline that forced an urgent hearing

The actor had been directed to leave the country by October 28, reportedly after his participation in a Mumbai protest. Imran, who reports say is a US citizen and holds an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, approached the Bombay High Court to challenge the legality of the FRRO’s move.

With the deadline close, the case came before a division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna. Imran’s counsel, senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond, underlined how little time was left. “But I have to leave tomorrow,” he told the court.

The government’s law officer then offered an oral assurance. “Nothing will happen. That is an oral assurance,” he said. The bench agreed to postpone proceedings and ordered that the notice remain in abeyance until the next hearing, now listed for November 2 at 3 pm.

What the OCI question changes

The dispute sits at the junction of immigration law, public protest and the rights that come with an OCI card. OCI status generally permits long-term visa-free travel and stay for foreign citizens of Indian origin, but it is not Indian citizenship. That distinction is central to Imran’s petition, which questions whether the notice asking him to leave is legal.

For Hindi film fans, the case also has a practical edge: a familiar face from the movies can be told to leave, but the court’s reprieve shows that such a notice can be tested. The oral assurance protects him in the short term, yet the larger question of the notice’s validity remains open.

What the court has locked in

• The FRRO notice remains on hold until the next hearing.
• The Centre has assured the court that no action will be taken against Imran in the meantime.
• The division bench will hear the matter on November 2 at 3 pm.

What to watch next

The next hearing will reveal whether Imran’s challenge moves forward on its merits or gets delayed further. If the Centre files its response in time, the court can begin examining the legality of the FRRO notice. If another adjournment is sought, the reprieve may simply stretch on.

For now, the immediate worry is off the table. Imran Khan does not have to leave tomorrow.

Source: Filmfare