Actor Imran Khan can stay in India for now: what changed before his October 28 deadline
The Bombay High Court has put a notice ordering the actor to leave India on hold until a November 2 hearing, after the Centre sought more time to respond.
Actor Imran Khan can remain in India beyond an October 28 deadline after the Bombay High Court on October 27 stayed a notice ordering him to leave. The court in Mumbai put the notice on hold until it hears his challenge again on November 2.
The Centre asked for more time to respond to Khan’s petition. Additional Solicitor General Anil C. Singh gave the court an oral assurance that the notice would be kept in abeyance before the next hearing, The Hindu reported.
What the court’s stay changes for Imran Khan
The Foreigners Regional Registration Office, or FRRO, had directed Khan to leave India by October 28. The Hindu reported that the temporary order allows him to stay beyond that deadline while his petition remains pending. The next hearing is scheduled for November 2 at 3 p.m.; the court has yet to decide his challenge to the notice.
Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi led the bench, and senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond appeared for Khan, according to The Hindu. The Times of India, drawing on Bar and Bench’s account of the proceedings, named Justice Advait Sethna as the other judge. It also reported that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who had been expected to join by video, could not attend.
Why Imran Khan challenged the leave-India notice
Khan is a US citizen who holds an Overseas Citizen of India card. The Times of India reported that the FRRO issued the notice on October 14, citing Sections 7(2)(C) and 29 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. The notice followed an October 10 incident near August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai.
The reports link the notice to Khan’s alleged presence at a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Times of India reported that police detained Khan near the site. Khan denied actively participating in the protest and said no demonstration was under way when he arrived, according to the outlet’s account of his petition.
Khan’s petition calls the directive arbitrary and questions its legal basis, The Times of India reported. He argued that authorities issued it without an inquiry, a show-cause notice or a chance for him to respond. Those are Khan’s arguments in the pending case; the court’s interim order does not decide them.
Khan had already taken the notice to the High Court. The October 27 stay is the change since his earlier challenge: the October 28 deadline will not require him to leave before the November 2 hearing.
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Sources and context
- Imran Khan gets temporary relief, as 'leave India' notice put on hold, court to hear the actor's plea on November 2The Times of India (TOI Entertainment Desk; proceedings details attributed in the article to Bar and Bench)
- Bombay High Court stays “Leave India Notice” against actor Imran Khan till November 2The Hindu (Yohaan Varghese)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.