Disposed¶36

Santhosh Kumar M v. The Regional Passport officer

Madras HC3 Jun 2025WP(MD)/9485/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Passport refusal/show cause notice; Regional Passport Officer Madurai; W.P.(MD) No.9485 of 2025; Article 226 certiorarified mandamus; show cause notice dated 24.09.2024 File No.MD1066939707124; reply dated 08.03.2025; accused A9/A10 in Crime No.2121/2017 Avaniyapuram Police Station; charge sheet pending before Judicial Magistrate No.VI Madurai; direction to decide show cause notice and process passport application within three months; disposed of at admission; C.SARAVANAN, J.; dated 03.06.2025.

What did the court decide?

Writ petition disposed of with directions to the first respondent to pass an order in response to the impugned show cause notice and process the petitioner's passport application, preferably within three months from receipt of a copy of the order; no costs; connected miscellaneous petition closed. ¶36

Santhosh Kumar M Vs The 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 impugned show cause notice dated 24.09.2024 issued by respondent No.1 (File No.MD1066939707124) should be quashed and respondent No.1 directed to issue the passport to the petitioner on the basis of his online application dated 16.09.2024.

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Court's answer

Since the petitioner has already replied to the show cause notice, the only direction warranted is to the first respondent to pass an order in response to the impugned show cause notice and also process the petitioner's application for issuance of the passport.

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Ratio / Principle

Because the alleged offence is of the year 2017, the first respondent shall endeavour to pass orders on the show cause notice as expeditiously as possible, preferably within three months from receipt of a copy of the order.

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Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (Madurai Bench), disposed of at admission a writ petition under Article 226 by M.Santhosh Kumar challenging a show cause notice dated 24.09.2024 (File No.MD1066939707124) issued by the Regional Passport Officer, Madurai, and seeking issuance of a passport pursuant to his online application dated 16.09.2024. The petitioner had already replied to the show cause notice on 08.03.2025. The second respondent informed the Court that the petitioner was arrayed as A9 (A10 as per FIR) in Crime No.2121/2017 and that the charge sheet, though filed, had not been taken on record by the learned Judicial Magistrate No.VI, Madurai. Holding that only a direction was warranted, the Court directed the first respondent to pass an order on the show cause notice and process the passport application, preferably within three months from receipt of a copy of the order, noting the alleged offence was of the year 2017. No costs; connected miscellaneous petition closed.

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W.P.(MD) No.9485 of 2025

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BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

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DATED: 03.06.2025

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CORAM:

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THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.SARAVANAN

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W.P.(MD) No.9485 of 2025 and W.M.P.(MD) No.7083 of 2025

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M.Santhosh Kumar ... Petitioner

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The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office, Bharathi Ula Veethi, Race Course Road, Madurai - 625002.

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The Inspector of Police, Avaniyapuram Police Station, Madurai City. ... Respondents

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PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records relating to impugned show cause notice issued by the respondent No.1 in the File No.MD1066939707124 dated 24.09.2024 and to quash the same and further, direct the respondent No.1 to issue the passport to the petitioner on the basis of

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

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W.P.(MD) No.9485 of 2025

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online application date 16.09.2024.

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For petitioner : Mr. C.M.Mari Chelliah Prabhu

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For respondents : Mr.P.Santhosh Kumar Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 Mr.K.Sanjai Gandhi Government Advocate (Crl.Side) for R2

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ORDER

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This Writ Petition is disposed of at the time of admission itself.

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Mr.P.Santhosh Kumar, learned Central Government Standing Counsel

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takes notice for the first respondent and Mr.K.Sanjai Gandhi, learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) takes notice for the second respondent.

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Although in this case the petitioner has challenged the impugned show

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cause notice dated 24.09.2024, it is noticed that the petitioner has also replied to the same by reply dated 08.03.2025.

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It is informed by the learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) for the

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

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W.P.(MD) No.9485 of 2025

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second respondent that the petitioner has been arrayed as A9 (A10 as per FIR in Crime No.2121/2017).

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It is informed by the learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) for the second respondent that the charge sheet has been filed, but the same has not been taken on record by the learned Judicial Magistrate No.VI, Madurai.

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Considering the fact that the petitioner has already replied to the show cause notice, there can be only direction to the first respondent to pass order in response to the impugned show cause notice and also process the application of the petitioner for issuance of the passport.

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Since the alleged offence is of the year 2017, the first respondent shall endeavour to pass orders in the show cause notice as expeditious as possible preferably within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

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

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W.P.(MD) No.9485 of 2025

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