Shikhar Agnihotri v. Union of India Thru. Prin. Secy. External Affairs Ministry of External Affairs and Another
Case brief
What is this about?
Passport renewal restricted to one year during pendency of criminal case; writ disposed of with directions to obtain term-specific permission from competent criminal court; Passport Rules 1980; mandamus sought for 10-year validity; matrimonial-dispute-related criminal case; High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench; WRIT - C No. 7103 of 2025; decided November 17, 2025; Bench: Shekhar B. Saraf, J. and Manjive Shukla, J.; petitioner Shikhar Agnihotri; counsel Saurabh Misra and Jai Prakash Awasthi for petitioner; A.S.G.I. and Varun Pandey for respondents (Union of India, Ministry of External Affairs).
What did the court decide?
Directions issued: petitioner at liberty to apply to the competent criminal court dealing with his criminal case within three weeks for permission for renewal of his passport for a specific term; the competent court to pass a reasoned order within the next three weeks; once such permission is granted, the competent passport authority to renew the passport for the term specified by the trial court. The prayer for direct ten-year renewal was not granted.