M.Anbarasi v. N.Elango

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 18-02-2026

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE P. DHANABAL IN OP NO. 169 OF 2025 M.Anbarasi D/o. P.Muthukrishnan.

..Applicant(s) Vs N.Elango S/o. Nagasundaram, No.2A/3, Thirumurugan Street, S.R.V.S.Colony, Keelkattalai, Chennai 600 117.

Presently residing at No.420, Catrine, Victoria Wharf, Watkiss Way, Cardiff - CF110SB, Wales, United Kingdom.

..Respondent(s) PRAYER: This application has been filed under Order XIV Rule 8 of Original Side Rules read with Section 151 of Code of Civil Procedure praying to pass an order directing His Majestys Passport Office, United Kingdom, functioning under the Home Office, Government of the United Kingdom, Public Protection - Specialist Safeguarding Team, Passports, citizenship and Civil Registration, to renew British passport of the minor child Lakshmi Dhitya.E Holding passport No.121343385 without insisting upon the consent of the Respondent/father in view of the pendency of O.P. No.169 of 2025 on the file of this Hon'ble Court. For Applicant(s):

M/s.K.SUMATHI

For Respondent(s):

No appearance

ORDER

This application has been filed by the applicant to direct the Passport Office, United Kingdom, functioning under the Home Office, Government of the United Kingdom, Public Protection - Specialist Safeguarding Team, Passports, citizenship and Civil Registration, to renew British passport of the minor child Lakshmi Dhitya.E Holding passport No.121343385 without insisting upon the consent of the Respondent/father.

2. According to the applicant, she is the petitioner in the main Original petition and already she filed an application in A. No.4657 of 2025 praying to direct the respondent to sign the necessary applications and to cause his appearance before the appropriate authorities for facilitating the renewal of the British passports of her minor children namely Lakshmi Dhitya.E. born on 13.02.2015 and Aazhiyan born on 10.06.2020 and the same was allowed on 05.11.2025. Despite the order passed by this court, the respondent has wilfully disobeyed the same. He has neither signed the passport applications nor extended his co-operation in any manner till date. Already the applicant submitted passport renewal applications for both minor children before His Majesty's Passport Office, United Kingdom functioning under the Home Office, Government of the United Kingdom, through its Public Protection -

Specialist Safeguarding Team, Passports, citizenship and Civil Registration and the application of the minor son Aazhiyan was processed by the Passport authority and the renewed passport was issued and collected on 03.12.2025. However, the passport ren ewal application of the minor daughter Lakshmi Dhitya has been kept hold by the passport authority on the ground that the order dated 05.11.2025 does not expressly authorize the passport authority to issue the passport, despite the pendency of the proceedings and without the consent and co-operation of the respondent. Therefore, she has filed this application.

3. The other side has not filed any counter.

4. It is an admitted fact that already this Court passed an order dated 05.11.2025 in A. No.4657 of 2025 by directing the respondent to co-operate for renewal of passport for the minor children viz., Lakshmi Dhitya.E. born on 13.02.2015 and Aazhiyan born on 10.06.2020. Thereafter, the applicant had also approached the Passport authorities and also renewed the passport for the minor son Aazhiyan, but at the same time, it was refused to renew the passport of the minor daughter Lakshmi Dhitya. This Court had already passed an order dated 05.11.2025 by directing the respondent to cooperate for renewal of passport for the minor children, accordingly, the application has approached the passport authorities and renewed the passport for the minor son Aazhiyan, but unable to get renewal of passport from the concerned authorities for the minor

daughter Lakshmi Dhitya. Once the Passport authorities processed the application for passport renewal for minor children submitted by the applicant based on the order of this Court and renewed to one child, the authorities cannot refuse to renew the passport for another minor child namely Lakshmi Dhitya, without any valid reasons. Since the authorities had already renewed the passport to one child namely Aazhiyan, it is appropriate to direct the Passport authorities to consider the application submitted by the applicant for renewal of passport of the minor daughter namely Lakshmi Dhitya.E. as per rules, even without insisting the consent of the father of the minor daughter as earlier renewed for another minor child namely Aazhiyan.

5. Accordingly, this application is allowed. 18-02-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order MJS

P.DHANABAL, J.

MJS IN OP NO. 169 OF 2025 18-02-2026