New Delhi, June 20 -- In a big move, the Madras High Court, on Friday declared that it is not necessary for a woman to get the permission of her husband and take his signature before applying for a passport before the authority.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh declared the ruling while disposing a woman's petition who sought direction to the authorities to issue a fresh passport without insisting signature from her husband in a time bound manner.

"It is not necessary for a wife to get the permission of her husband and take his signature before applying for a passport before the authority," PTI quoted Judge Venkatesh as saying.

In her petition, the woman, Revathi stated that despite a pending divorce case filed by her husband after their marr...