Women free to retain maiden name on passport, says PM Modi

Women free to retain maiden name on passport, says PM Modi

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that a woman may now choose to retain her maiden name on the passport after marriage or divorce and that she could get the travel document by giving the names of either of her parents.

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," Modi said addressing an event of industry lobby IMC's women's wing through video conferencing.

Further Modi said that modern India can progress only if women are empowered, and that whenever given a chance, women have outperformed men and that his government is taking "progressive decisions" in this direction.