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Madras High CourtWP(MD)/17895/2025disposed of

C.Nalayeni Nandhini v. The Chief Passport Officer

2025-07-02Honourable Mr Justice C. Saravanan5 pages

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 02.07.2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.SARAVANAN W.P(MD) No.17895 of 2025 C.Nalayeni Nandhini ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The Chief Passport Officer, Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House, Tilag Marg, New Delhi 110 001.

2.The Passport Issuing Authority, Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, Regional Passport Office, Bharathi Ula Veethi, Race Course Road, Madurai 625 002.

...Respondents

Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to take necessary action on the basis of the petitioner's representation dated 03.06.2025 with regard to issuance of the passport on the petitioner's application No.MD1066771381924 with in a time stipulated time by this Court. 1/5

For Petitioner : Mr.D.Anbarasu For Respondents : Mr.D.M.Balakrishnan

ORDER

The petitioner is referred to as a destitute widow, who applied for a passport on 22.07.2024. It appears that the petitioner had earlier applied for passport in the year 2016 and 2019, which were rejected with recommendation to initiate the proceedings against the petitioner for producing fake documents along with her passport application. There are no records to indicate that a First Information Report has been registered against the petitioner. It has been recorded in the proceedings dated 02.12.2021 that as per Ministry's order, offences attract section 12 of the Passport Act, 1967 was made out. However, no action was taken against the petitioner by the Police authorities. Therefore, the petitioner's application has been rejection.

2. It is submitted that the petitioner's husband has passed away on 17.08.2019. It is the case of the petitioner that the application was filed and filled up by the petitioner's husband late Chinnasamy. It is submitted that, if the petitioner is issued a passport, she may get an opportunity for employment abroad. Hence, the petitioner prays for a direction for issuance of the passport pursuant to the application, dated 18.07.2024. 2/5

3. Having considered the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned counsel for the respondents, this Writ Petition is disposed of at the time of admission. In case, no criminal case is pending against the petitioner, although the petitioner's application was rejected earlier on account of furnishing fake certificates, the application of the petitioner can be considered sympathetically and passport can be issued to the petitioner, as there are no material to indicate that the petitioner is the accused of any other crime and no criminal case is pending against the petitioner. The respondents are therefore directed to scrutinize the application for issuance of passport to the petitioner, in case no criminal case is pending against the petitioner, as expediously as possible preferably within a period of three months from the date of receipt of copy of this order.

4. With the above said liberty, this Writ Petition stands disposed of. No costs.

02.07.2025 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes / No Indu 3/5

C.SARAVANAN, J.

Indu To 1.The Chief Passport Officer, Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House, Tilag Marg, New Delhi 110 001.

2.The Passport Issuing Authority, Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, Regional Passport Office, Bharathi Ula Veethi, Race Course Road, Madurai 625 002.

W.P(MD) No.17895 of 2025 02.07.2025 4/5

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