Umadevi Sivalingam v. Regional Passport Officer

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 27.03.2023 CORAM :

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M. DHANDAPANI Umadevi Sivalingam ... Petitioner Vs.

1.Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office, Municipal Water Tank Building, W.B.Road, Tiruchirapalli - 620 008.

2.The Assistant Foreigner's Regional Registration Officer (AFRRO), Bureau of Immigration, Chennai International Airport, Chennai - 600 027.

... Respondents Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records of the 1st respondent in F.No.TR1071122501118 dated 08.03.2023 and quash the same and consequently, directing the 1st respondent to return the petitioner's passport No.S1560690 dated 24.04.2018, which was seized by the 2nd respondent at Chennai Airport on 23.11.2019. For Petitioner :

Mr.M.Naraayanaswamy For Respondents :

Mr.M.Arvind Kumar Senior Panel Counsel 1/4

ORDER

This Writ Petition has been filed seeking for a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records of the first respondent in F.No.TR1071122501118 dated 08.03.2023 and quash the same and consequently, to direct the first respondent to return the petitioner's passport No.S1560690 dated 24.04.2018, which was seized by the second respondent at Chennai Airport on 23.11.2019.

2. The case of the petitioner is that the petitioner's passport was revoked by invoking Section 10(3)(b) of the Passports Act, 1967, on the ground that the petitioner obtained her passport by furnishing false information, thereby, the impugned order vide F.No.TR1071122501118, dated 08.03.2023 has been passed by the first respondent. Challenging the same, the above writ petition is filed before this Court for appropriate directions.

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that, as against the impugned order, there was an effective appeal remedy before the Joint Secretary (PSP) and CPO, Ministry of External Affairs, New 2/4

Delhi. Hence, he prays that this Court may grant the above liberty to the petitioner.

4. In view of the above submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner, this Writ Petition is dismissed with a liberty to the petitioner to prefer an appeal before the appellate authority in the manner known to law. No costs.

27.03.2023 Index : Yes / No Speaking order / Non-speaking order sp To 1.The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office, Municipal Water Tank Building, W.B.Road, Tiruchirapalli - 620 008.

2.The Assistant Foreigner's Regional Registration Officer (AFRRO), Bureau of Immigration, Chennai International Airport, Chennai - 600 027.

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M.DHANDAPANI, J.

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