Bengaluru, May 13 -- The Karnataka High Court has upheld the validity of a notice issued via WhatsApp by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) directing a French citizen, who had allegedly been running a restaurant in Karnataka for nearly 15 years on a tourist visa, to leave the country.
The case came up after the foreign national challenged the FRRO action, arguing that communication through WhatsApp was not a valid legal mode of service and that the exit direction violated procedural norms.
However, the court rejected the argument and ruled that digital communication methods, including WhatsApp, are legally sustainable when they ensure effective delivery and acknowledgment. The bench observed that procedural form cannot ove...