Kavitha Manikandan v. The Union Of India
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 09.10.2025
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI and W.M.P No.41791 of 2025 Kavitha Manikandan W/o.V.Saravana Kumar ... Petitioner Vs.
1. The Union of India Rep. by the Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, South Block, New Delhi - 110 011.
2. The Chief Passport Officer, Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House Annexe, Tilak Marg, New Delhi - 110 001.
3. The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office, Royala Towers, IV Floor, No.2 & 3, Old No.785, New No.158, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.
4. The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office, SNSM Building, Karalkada Road, Nandavanam, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 033, Kerala.
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5. The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office Madurai, Bharathi Ula Vethi, Race Course Road, Madurai - 625 002.
6. The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office Tirunelveli, No.13, South Bypass Road, Xavier Colony, Tirunelveli - 627 005.
... Respondents Prayer : The Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the entire records relating to the impounding of the petitioner's passport on 17.02.1995 by the 4th respondent and set aside the same as being illegal, arbitrary and violative of principles of natural justice and consequently direct the respondent to 3rd respondent to consider and dispose of the petitioner's pending application for renewal of Passport (File No.MA2075179615625) and issue the passport to the petitioner within a time frame to be fixed by this Court.
For Petitioner : Mr.V. Muthu Pandi For R2 to R6 : Ms.R.Durga Rani Central Government Standing Counsel
O R D E R
This writ petition has been filed challenging the impugned order dated 17.02.1995 passed by the 4th respondent and consequently, direct the 3rd respondent to consider the petitioner's pending application and issue a passport to him within a time frame to be fixed by this Court. 2/6
2. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner obtained Indian Passport on 27.07.1992 issued by the 4th respondent in the address of the petitioner's grand mother and the passport was expired on 26.07.2002. The petitioner approached the 5th respondent office in the year 2008, for renewal of the passport and they instructed the petitioner to obtain the birth certificate. Thereafter, in the year 2013, the petitioner approached the 6th respondent along with the birth certificate and they informed that the birth of place is mismatched. But, the petitioner received the File Closure Letter on 03.04.2024 from the 5th respondent stating that the petitioner's passport was impounded. The petitioner filed an application before the 4th respondent on 16.08.
2024 seeking information regarding the impounding of passport under Right to Information Act and a reply was received by her on 30.08.2024. Thereafter, the petitioner filed first appeal on 26.09.2024 for the reason that neither she received any show cause notice nor served on her prior to impounding the aforesaid passport as stated in the order dated 30.08.2024 and the same was disposed. Again, the petitioner preferred second appeal and the same was also disposed. On 30.08.2025, the petitioner received the order copy of the second appeal along with the copy of the show cause notice dated 13.06.
dated 17.02.1995 for impounding the passport. Hence the present writ petition is filed with the above said prayer.
3. The learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondents would submit that the address mentioned in the petitioner's application is mismatched and thereby, the petitioner's passport was impounded in the year 1995 and the same was intimated to the petitioner vide order dated 08.09.2025 by the Regional Passport Officer, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, the 4th respondent herein through its e-mail. Further, the 5th respondent/Regional Passport Officer, Madurai was also informed by the 3rd respondent through its e-mail dated 04.09.2025 that upon verification of records, it has been found that the application under File No.MD207442292322 has been quoted with remarks "Applied for changes in Place of Birth and Date of Birth.
Further, the 5th respondent was also requested to provide the current status and the petitioner's passport application is under review at the office of the Regional Passport Officer, Chennai, the 3rd respondent herein and appropriate orders will be passed for issuance of passport to the petitioner, if everything is correct, within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.
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4. In view of the above, the 3rd respondent is directed to pass appropriate orders on the petitioner's application, within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Accordingly, this writ petition is disposed of with the above terms. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. 09.10.2025 uma Index: Yes/ No Speaking Order: Yes/ No NCC: Yes/ No To
1. The Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, South Block, New Delhi - 110 011.
2. The Chief Passport Officer, Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House Annexe, Tilak Marg, New Delhi - 110 001.
3. The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Officer, Royala Towers, IV Floor, No.2 & 3, Old No.785, New No.158, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.
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M. DHANDAPANI, J.
uma
4. The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office, SNSM Building, Karalkada Road, Nandavanam, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 033, Kerala.
5. The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office Madurai, Bharathi Ula Vethi, Race Course Road, Madurai - 625 002.
6. The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office Tirunelveli, No.13, South Bypass Road, Xavier Colony, Tirunelveli - 627 005.
and W.M.P No.41791 of 2025 09.10.2025 6/6