G.Ramamurthy v. Regional Passport Officer

Madras HC13 Jun 2025WP/20297/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Passport application delay; writ of mandamus under Article 226; Regional Passport Officer Tiruchirapalli; File No.TR1067299644325 dated 13.01.2025; enquiry report dated 02.09.2022 by Inspector of Police, Paravakottai Police Station; Superintendent of Police Thiruvarur directed to forward report within one week; Passport Officer to decide within four weeks and intimate applicant; Madras High Court; N. Anand Venkatesh, J.; disposed with directions, no costs.

What did the court decide?

Directions issued: the 2nd respondent (Superintendent of Police, Thiruvarur) to submit the enquiry report dated 02.09.2022 to the 1st respondent within one week of receipt of the order; the 1st respondent (Regional Passport Officer) to process the application and take a decision within four weeks thereafter, and intimate the decision to the petitioner. No costs.

G.Ramamurthy Vs Regional Passport Officer — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the 1st respondent (Regional Passport Officer) should be directed, by writ of mandamus, to process the petitioner's passport application dated 13.01.2025 (File No.TR1067299644325) and issue the passport.

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Court's answer

The Court directed the 2nd respondent to immediately submit the enquiry report dated 02.09.2022 before the 1st respondent, within one week from the date of receipt of copy of the order.

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Ratio / Principle

On receipt of the enquiry report, the 1st respondent shall process the application and take a decision within four weeks thereafter, and the decision taken shall be intimated to the petitioner.

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Key takeaways

The writ petition is disposed of with the above directions; no costs.ratio¶¶45

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition (WP No. 20297 of 2025, decided 13-06-2025) under Article 226 of the Constitution of India before the High Court of Judicature at Madras (N. Anand Venkatesh, J.). G.Ramamurthy sought a writ of mandamus directing the Regional Passport Officer, Tiruchirapalli (1st respondent) to process his passport application dated 13.01.2025 (File No.TR1067299644325) and issue the passport. On an earlier hearing (06.06.2025) counsel for the respondents was directed to take instructions. When the matter was heard, the Government Advocate produced an enquiry report dated 02.09.2022 prepared by the Inspector of Police, Paravakottai Police Station, and it was unclear whether that report had been placed before the 1st respondent; the Central Government Standing Counsel produced written instructions indicating certain issues were under consideration, causing delay. The Court directed the Superintendent of Police, Thiruvarur (2nd respondent) to submit the enquiry report dated 02.09.2022 to the 1st respondent within one week of receipt of the order, and on receipt thereof the 1st respondent to process the application and take a decision within four weeks, intimating the decision to the petitioner. Writ petition disposed of with the above directions. No costs.

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WP No. 20297 of 2025

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 13-06-2025

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CORAM

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THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE N. ANAND VENKATESH

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WP No. 20297 of 2025

G.Ramamurthy

Petitioner(s)

Regional Passport Officer Tiruchirapalli Municipal Water Tank Building, W.B.Road, Trichirappalli-620 006.

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2.The Superintendent Of Police Collector Office Complex, Thiruvarur District.

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Respondent(s)

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PRAYER Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the 1st respondent to process the petitioner's application in the file No.TR1067299644325 dated 13.01.2025 and issue the passport by following the due process of law within the time frame fixed by this Court

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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For Petitioner(s): Mr. D. Veerasekaran For Respondent(s): Mr.V.Senthilkumar Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 Mr. Leonard Joseph Selvam Government Advocate (Crl Side) for R2

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ORDER

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This writ petition has been filed for issue of writ of mandamus directing

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the 1st respondent to process the application submitted by the petitioner on

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13.01.2025 and issue passport to the petitioner.

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2.When the matter came up for hearing on 06.06.2025, this Court directed

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the learned Central Government Standing Counsel appearing on behalf of the

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1st respondent and the learned Government Advocate appearing on behalf of the

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2nd respondent to take instructions and report before this Court.

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3.When the matter was taken up for hearing today, the learned

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Government Advocate produced the enquiry report dated 02.09.2022 that was

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prepared by the Inspector of Police, Paravakottai Police Station. It is not clear as

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to whether this report has been placed before the 1st respondent.

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4.The learned Central Government Standing Counsel produced the

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written instructions received from the 1st respondent. On going through the

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same, it is seen that there are certain issues which have been taken into

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consideration by the 1st respondent and therefore, there is a delay in reaching a

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conclusion on the application submitted by the petitioner.

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5.In the light of the above instructions placed before this Court, there

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shall be a direction to the 2nd respondent to immediately submit the enquiry

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report dated 02.09.2022 before the 1st respondent, within a period of one week

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from the date of receipt of copy of this order. On receipt of the same, the 1st respondent shall process the application and take a decision, within a period of

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four weeks thereafter. The decision taken by the 1st respondent shall be intimated to the petitioner.

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WP No. 20297 of 2025

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6.This writ petition is disposed of the above directions. No Costs.

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13-06-2025