Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Pakistani Christian's Plea For Citizenship/LTV; Asks Him To Approach HC

The Supreme Court today(June 11) refused to entertain a writ petition filed by a Pakistani-Christian national seeking Indian citizenship or long term visa.

The petitioner had also challenged the cut-off of December 31, 2014, prescribed by the Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA), 2019 for the grant of citizenship to migrants belonging to minority communities in Pakistan.

The Court disposed of the writ petition, granting the petitioner liberty to approach the Bombay High Court.

Before a bench of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Manmohan, the counsel for the Pakistani national informed the Court that his long-term visa is going to expire on June 20. Justice Mishra at the outset asked: "Why have you come here?"

The counsel responded that he has approached the Supreme Court because his citizenship application is also pending; however, since he came after the cut-off date stipulated by the CAA, he has also challenged that specific provision. 

However, the Court refused to entertain, and Justice Manmohan suggested: "Go to the Bombay High Court, please, first make a prayer over there."

Therefore, the Court ordered: "Learned counsel for the petitioner seeking Court's permission to withdraw the writ petition with liberty to approach the Bombay High Court. The petition is dismissed as withdrawn."

It is stated in the petition that the petitioner belongs to the Roman Catholic Christian community, which is heavily persecuted in Pakistan. The petition states that the petitioner was compelled to flee Pakistan, and now his long-term visa is pending, and he is unable to renew his passport, which is expiring in June 2025. The petitioner is married to an Indian national.

Case Details:  JUDE MENDES Vs UNION OF INDIA|W.P.(C) No. 569/2025

Writ petition filed through AOR Ashish Pandey.