Master Arvaan Bhatty Thr His Natural Guardian Mother v. Union Of India Thr Ministrty Of Affairs

Digitally signed by SHAGUFTA QUTBUDDIN PATHAN Date:

2025.12.24 18:59:08 +0530 SHAGUFTA QUTBUDDIN PATHAN

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.11319 OF 2025 Master Arvaan Bhatty Through his Natural Guardian Mother Sanaya Banatwalla ... Petitioner

Versus

Union of India, Through Ministry of External Affairs & Ors.

... Respondents Ms. Gayatri Nitin Gokhale for the Petitioner Mr. Vikramjeet M. Siram a/w Ms. Shaily S. Jain i/b Ms. Anushka P. Tipnis for the Respondent Ms. Gauri S. Rao, A.P.P for the Respondent-State PSI Mr. H. P. Miraje, from Bandra Police Station, is present CORAM : REVATI MOHITE DERE & SANDESH D. PATIL, JJ.

MONDAY, 22 nd DECEMBER 2025 P.C :

At the outset, learned counsel for the petitioner seeks leave to amend the prayer clauses of the petition. Leave is granted. Amendment to be carried out forthwith. 1/5

By this petition, the petitioner essentially seeks a direction to respondent No. 2 to renew the passport of the petitioner-Master Arvaan Bhatty, a minor, bearing Passport No. U7660912, without insisting upon the consent of respondent No.3.

Vide order dated 2nd September 2025, notice was issued to respondent No. 3. Pursuant thereto, respondent No. 3 is present through his advocate and is also present in person. He is identified by his counsel.

Perused the papers. The petitioner is a minor child aged 10 years, who has filed the aforesaid petition through his mother, Ms. Sanaya Banatwalla. The respondent No. 3 herein is the father of the petitioner-Master Arvaan. It is not in dispute that matrimonial proceedings between the parents are pending before the Family Court, Mumbai.

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It appears that the petitioner, through his mother, applied to respondent No.2-the Regional Passport Office, Mumbai, for renewal of his passport, which expired on 20th October 2025. Pursuant thereto, the respondent No. 2-Authority, vide communication dated 25th April 2025, informed the petitioner that respondent No. 3 (father of the child) had raised an objection to the renewal of the passport, as a result, the petitioner's application has not been processed. Learned counsel for respondent No. 3, on instructions of respondent No. 3, who is present in Court, states that respondent No. 3 has no objection to the renewal of the passport of his son-Master Arvaan Bhatty. Respondent No. 3, who is present in Court, reiterates the same and states that he has no objection if a direction is issued to respondent No. 2 to renew the passport of Master Arvaan Bhatty, without insisting upon his presence or a separate No Objection Certificate. Statement accepted.

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However, learned counsel for respondent No. 3, on instructions, requests that whenever the minor child is taken outside the country, the mother of the child, Ms. Sanaya Banatwalla, be directed to inform respondent No. 3 of the country/countries of travel and the duration of such travel. Learned counsel for the petitioner, on instructions of Ms. Sanaya Banatwalla (petitioner's mother) who is present in Court, undertakes to inform respondent No. 3, whenever she intends to take the child outside India, including details of the country/countries to be visited and the duration of travel. Ms. Sanaya Banatwalla, who is present in Court, states that she would furnish such intimation to the respondent No.3 by WhatsApp as well as by e-mail. The statement is accepted as an undertaking. In view of the aforesaid, respondent No. 2 is directed to renew the passport of the petitioner-Master Arvaan Bhatty, 4/5

without insisting upon a separate No Objection Certificate from respondent No. 3, since respondent No. 3 has granted his consent before this Court, which has been duly recorded herein. The petition is allowed on the aforesaid terms and is disposed of accordingly.

All concerned to act on an authenticated copy of this order.

SANDESH D. PATIL, J.

REVATI MOHITE DERE, J.

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