Priya Shankar Singh v. Union Of India

$~450 *

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

+ W.P.(C) 2940/2019 PRIYA SHANKAR SINGH ..... Petitioner Through:

Mr Pankaj Mehta, Ms Shweta Soni and Mr Harshit Agarwal, Advocates.

versus UNION OF INDIA ..... Respondent Through:

Mr Brajesh Kumar, Advocate for R-1.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIBHU BAKHRU

O R D E R

% 27.03.2019 CM Nos.13638/2019 1.

Allowed, subject to all just exceptions.

W.P.(C) 2940/2019 2.

Issue notice. Learned counsel appearing for the respondent accepts notice.

3.

The petitioner has filed the present petition, inter alia, praying that directions be issued to the respondent authority to issue a passport to the petitioner, pursuant to his application.

4.

The petitioner claims that he was born on 12.05.1968 in Sonepur, Bihar. He had travelled to the United States of America in June, 1972 on his mother's passport (Passport No. J142716).

He was, thereafter, granted Permanent Resident Status (USCIS Green Card No.030-665-709). The petitioner claims that he has been residing in United States of America since

1972, and has not travelled outside that country till date. 5.

The petitioner claims that he was issued a passport by the Consulate General of India, Chicago, USA in November, 1981. However, the said passport was lost in the floods in June, 2008. The petitioner further claims that he is not aware of the details of the said passport, and has no records of the same.

6.

It is in the aforesaid background, that the petitioner had applied for a fresh passport at the Indian Embassy in USA on 06.09.2017. It is the petitioner's grievance that his application has not been processed. 7.

The petitioner was informed that the matter had been referred to the Ministry of External Affairs in India, and no response had been received from the concerned authorities.

8.

In the aforesaid circumstances, the respondent is directed to process the petitioner's passport as expeditiously as possible, and in any event within a period of three months, from today. In the event, the respondent is unable to issue the passport to the petitioner, it shall communicate the reasons for the same within the aforesaid period. 9.

The petition is disposed of with the aforesaid directions. VIBHU BAKHRU, J MARCH 27, 2019 MK