Bengaluru, June 21 -- A woman does not need her husband's consent and signature to apply for a passport and insisting on the same is an instance of "male supremacism", the Madras high court has said disposing of a petition filed by a woman who sought directions to authorities to issue her a fresh passport.

Saying that the insistence by the Regional Passport Office (RPO) that the woman get her estranged husband's permission for issuance of a passport was "shocking", the bench of justice N Anand Venkatesh said it shows the "mindset of the society in treating woman who are married as if they are chattel belonging to the husband".

The woman, Revathy, moved the court saying that she applied for a passport in April, but her application was no...