UK Academic Nitasha Kaul moves Delhi High Court against cancellation of OCI, ban on entry into India

Indian born British academic, novelist and poet Nitasha Kaul has approached the Delhi High Court challenging the Central government's decision to blacklist her from entering India and cancelling her Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status.

Kaul's writ petition is listed for hearing on November 25 before Justice Sachin Datta.

Kaul is a professor of International Relations at the University of Westminster.

Kaul, who has Kashmiri Pandit roots, studied economics at SRCC (Delhi University) and completed a joint PhD in Economics and Philosophy in the UK. She has written extensively on Kashmir, nationalism, and Hindutva. After the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, Kaul testified before the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs about human rights in Kashmir. 

According to news reports, in February 2024, Kaul arrived at Bengaluru airport to attend a “Constitution and National Unity” conference, invited by the Karnataka government. Despite holding a valid UK passport and an OCI card, she was denied entry and deported after being held for about 24 hours in a cell. 

In May 2025, the Indian government revoked her OCI status. The cancellation letter accused her of “anti-India” activities, saying her writings and speeches targeted India’s sovereignty. 

Kaul's writ petition has been filed through advocate Aadil Singh Boparai.

This is a developing story.