Ashish Kumar Kori vs U.O.I. Thru. Secy. Ministry of External Affairs New Delhi and 4 Others

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HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD LUCKNOW

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WRIT - C No. - 5087 of 2026

Ashish Kumar Kori

.....Petitioner(s)

Versus

U.O.I. Thru. Secy. Ministry Of External Affairs New Delhi And 4 Others .....Respondent(s) Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Ajay Tiwari, Deevesh Shankar Tiwari, Hari Shanker Tewari Counsel for Respondent(s) : A.S.G.I., C.S.C.

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Court No. - 3

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HON'BLE SHEKHAR B. SARAF, J. HON'BLE ABDHESH KUMAR CHAUDHARY, J.

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Heard Sri Ajay Tiwari, learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri Varun Pandey, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents No.1 and 2 as well as learned Standing Counsel appearing on behalf of the Staterespondents No3 to 5 and perused the record.

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This writ petition has been filed for the following main reliefs:

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"(i) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus commanding and directing the opposite party No. 2, the Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office, Vipin Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow to renew the passport of the petitioner bearing Passport No. N4568334 issued by the opposite party No. 2 on 26.10.2015 which was valid up to 25.10.2025 in term of the application dated 17.3.2026 made by the petitioner.

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(ii) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus commanding and directing the opposite parties not to prevent the petitioner from exercising the fundamental right to move freely and to go abroad enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution of India, in the interest of justice."

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Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the matter may be disposed of in light of the judgment passed by Division Bench of this Court in Pawan Kumar Rajbhar versus Union of India and 2 others; Writ-C No.41540 of 2023 : Neutral Citation No.-2024:AHC:9963-DB .

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WRIC No. 5087 of 2026

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2

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The submission of learned counsel for the petitioner is controverted by learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents No.1 and 2. His submission is that the judgment of Pawan Kumar Rajbhar (supra) has been modified by Hon'ble Supreme Court in Rita Verma vs. Union of India and others; Petition(s) Special Leave to Appeal (C) No.7481 of 2024 vide judgment and order dated 20.09.2024.

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It may be noted that in Smt. Rita Verma vs. Union of India and others; Writ-C No.6450 of 2024; Neutral Citation No.2024:AHC:35201-DB , the Division Bench of this Court had reiterated the ratio of Pawan Kumar Rajbhar (supra). However, after examining the entire position with regard to the Memorandum No.VI/401/1/5/2019 dated 10.10.2019, the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Rita Verma (supra) has directed as follows:-

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"4. In spite of the clear wordings in the Memo, the High Court by the order impugned herein came to a conclusion that the office Memorandum is contrary to the statutory position and proceeded to dismiss the Writ Petition.

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We have heard Mr. Malak Manish Bhatt, appearing for the appellant as also Mr. K.M. Natraj, learned Additional Solicitor General appearing for the Union of India. Mr. K.M. Natraj, learned Additional Solicitor General submits that the approach adopted by the High Court that the Office Memorandum is contrary to the statutory positions and is not supported by law and it is also not the stand of the Union of India. Learned Additional Solicitor General expressed no difficulty in processing the application of the appellant on the basis of the Office Memorandum.

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In this view of the matter, it is sufficient for us to direct the authorities to consider the application for renewal of the passport on the basis of Office Memorandum dated 10.10.2019 or any other subsequent Office Memorandums that may govern the field notwithstanding the order passed by the High Court in Writ Petition(C) No.6450/2024 dated 28.02.2024, upon making of an appropriate application, the same shall be disposed of, as expeditiously as possible."

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In light of the above finding(s) of Hon'ble Supreme Court, we are of the view that the authorities are required to consider the application of the petitioner for re-issuance of passport on the basis of Office Memorandum dated 10.10.2019 or any other subsequent office memorandum that may govern the field as the Hon'ble Supreme Court has finally dealt with this issue in Rita Verma (supra). The law laid down by Hon'ble Supreme Court

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WRIC No. 5087 of 2026

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3

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in Rita Verma (supra) shall apply in the present case, therefore, we direct the authorities to act expeditiously in accordance with law in the subject matter.

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With the aforesaid direction, the writ petition is disposed of .

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May 15, 2026 cks/-

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(Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary,J.) (Shekhar B. Saraf,J.)

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Digitally signed by :- CHANDRA KANT SINGH High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench

Ashish Kumar Kori v. U.O.I. Thru. Secy. Ministry of External Affairs New Delhi and 4 Others

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Ashish Kumar Kori v. U.O.I. Thru. Secy. Ministry of External Affairs New Delhi and 4 Others

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