Women don't need to change names on passports after marriage, says Modi
No need to change name after marriage, divorce.
Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said there is no need for a woman to change her name on her passport after marriage or divorce and that she could get the travel document by giving the names of either of her parents.
“There has been an important change in passport rules. Now, it will not be necessary for a woman to give the certificate of her marriage or divorce. It will be up to her to have either the name of her father or mother on the passport,” Mr Modi said, addressing an event of Indian Merchants Chamber’s women’s wing over a video conference. Mayura Worlikar, who has been married for four years, but hasn’t changed her name on her passport, claimed that this is a good gesture that would help many people like her.
“My surname before marriage was Amonkar, while I have changed my name in all my documents to Worlikar after marriage, it is still Amonkar on my passport. Now I won't change it ever,” she said.
Mr Modi also said that his government was committed to empowering women and spelled out a slew of schemes and measures that are being undertaken towards it like granting 70 per cent of the Rs 3 trillion Mudra loans to women entrepreneurs.