Ashok Kumar Sipani v. Union Of India

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK

WP(C) NO.24843 OF 2022 Ashok Kumar Sipani ....

Petitioner Mr.S.Das, Adv.

-versusUnion of India & ors.

....

Opposite Party(s) Mrs.B.K.Sahu, CGC

CORAM:

JUSTICE BISWANATH RATH

ORDER

13.10.2022 01.

1.

Heard learned counsel for the Parties.

Order No.

2.

This is the second round of litigation. Undisputedly, in the first round of litigation, there is already a direction to the Petitioner to file his response pursuant to the communication no.SCN/313020269/22 dated 18.8.2022, vide Annexure-2 series. 3.

Learned counsel for the Petitioner through Annexure-2 series submits, even though his Client has already submitted his response and attended the Office of the Passport Authority, there has been no finality on the pending issue as of now though almost two months' time have passed in the meantime.

4.

This Court finds strange in the attitude of the Regional Office. Once there is undertaking of the exercise in restoration of

// 2 // Passport and the Party has attended to the response called for by the Competent Authority, the Authority becomes duty-bound to see finality to such proceeding. This Court finds, undisputedly one and half months has passed in the meantime. Be that as it may, treating this matter as a pending case before the Competent Authority, this Court directs the Passport Officer, Bhubaneswar, O.P.2 to complete the exercise involved herein involving the Petitioner and/or his Advocate, if the Petitioner desires to engage an Advocate, and see finality to such proceeding within a period of one month from the date of communication of this order by the Petitioner. 5.

The Writ Petition stands disposed of accordingly. (Biswanath Rath) Judge M.K.Rout