Karnataka High Court says foreign nationals cannot claim right to visa or renewal
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has held that foreign nationals do not have a right to insist on the grant or renewal of visas, reaffirming that such matters fall within the sovereign discretion of the Union government.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonacha made the observation while dismissing a writ appeal filed by Nigerian nationals Obinna Jeremiah Okafor and John Adekwagh Vandefan, who had challenged an earlier single-bench order rejecting their petition.
Deccan Herald reported that the two appellants, along with Cyril Udoka Odigbo, had sought release from detention and challenged movement restriction orders issued against them on December 23, 2024, following which they were housed at Aasare Foundation Trust in Laggere, Bengaluru. While Odigbo did not appeal the single-bench ruling, Okafor and Vandefan pursued the matter before the division bench.
The petitioners claimed they were bona fide students, with one pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce course in Bengaluru and the other enrolled in an MSc Computer Science programme in Coimbatore, asserting that he had come to Bengaluru while seeking admission to a new institution. They argued that the actions of the authorities violated their fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and that movement restrictions were imposed without affording them an opportunity to be heard.
Authorities, however, submitted that Okafor was found in possession of a fake Tanzanian passport issued in another name with an Indian visa that had been granted to a Sri Lankan national. While no narcotics were recovered, data extracted from their mobile phones allegedly indicated information related to the sale of narcotics.
The court observed that the Union government has the power to expel any foreigner from India and that such orders must be complied with. It noted that constitutional rights relating to free movement and residence apply only to Indian citizens and not to foreigners.
The bench further said that even if procedural fairness was questioned in the cancellation of visas, the visas would have expired in the normal course of time. It underlined that a foreign national cannot demand a visa or its extension, adding that the grant or refusal of visas is an unfettered sovereign right and does not require the state to provide reasons for denial.
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Karnataka Minister Reddy, Mohandas Pai spat over public transport
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has defended the state-run public transport system and the government's 'Shakti' scheme amid a social media spat with IT industry veteran T V Mohandas Pai over the role of private operators, asserting that public transport is a right, not a luxury.
The sharp exchange began after former Chief Finance Officer of Infosys, Pai, alleged a shortage of buses and lack of public transport, while urging the minister to allow private buses to provide service.
"All we have got is shortage of buses and lack of public transport for last 3 years. (Earlier too) Please allow private buses to provide service," Pai alleged in a post on 'X' late on Thursday.
The IT industry veteran accused Reddy of having thoroughly failed to ensure adequate public transport because of his "dogmatic attitude" saying only PSY works.
"Why? People need public transport irrespective of who provides it," he said, tagging Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in his post.
Reacting to criticism, Reddy defended the state-run transport corporations and challenged Pai to a public debate.
"Mr. @TVMohandasPai, Our BMTC MD is enough to handle a face-to-face debate with you on any platform. Kindly come and discuss the facts with them directly. Are you ready to step up, or will you just keep tweeting?," he said in a post on 'X'.
The transport minister said that Pai's view is not just "biased, it is fundamentally dogmatic," arguing that, "You (Pai) look at a public service and see a balance sheet; I look at it and see 1.5 crore citizens."
Highlighting the state government's Shakti scheme, the minister claimed that, "We have crossed 650 crore+ free trips for women. This isn't just a "scheme"; it is the greatest mobility-led economic empowerment in India's history."
"The "Social Service" Balance: Unlike private players, we don't cherry-pick. 30 per cent of our routes operate at a loss to ensure a student and rural citizens in a remote village has a bus. 30 per cent operate at break-even. 40 per cent (long-distance) generate the profit that sustains the rest. 98 per cent of villages have bus connectivity across state. This is how you serve a society, not a board of directors," he added.
Reddy pointed out that Karnataka operates 26,054 buses; in Bengaluru alone, nearly 45 lakh commuters are served daily.
"With a fleet of 7,108 buses--including 1,686 electric buses--we cover over 13 lakh km and 66,000 trips every day, the highest in India. Show me a single BJP-ruled city or state, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat, that matches this scale and efficiency," he said.
According to him, in just the last two years, 5,800 plus new buses have been inducted and by March 2026, another 2,000 plus buses will be on the roads.
"During the BJP tenure (2019-2023), when bus inductions were frozen and corporations were left to rot, why didn't you raise a single question? Why does your "corporate concern" only wake up when a pro-people government is performing," he alleged.
Reddy further claimed that private operators shut down the moment profits dip. How would that help a common man in Bengaluru who earns a daily wage?
"A private monopoly would be a crushing burden on the poor. Public transport is a right, not a luxury. Our PSUs are here to stay, to serve, and to lead Karnataka," he added.
