Disposed¶29

T.Sekar v. The Regional Passport Officer

Madras HC25 Jun 2026WP(MD)/17841/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Passport issuance blocked due to pending criminal case; writ of mandamus under Article 226; prior permission of jurisdictional criminal court required for issuance/renewal of passport when criminal case pending; re-issue/renewal of passport to be treated as issuance of fresh passport; Passport Act, 1967; Regional Passport Officer Madurai; Judicial Magistrate Court Tiruppuvanam C.C. No. 322 of 2025; Full Bench ruling W.P.(MD) No. 26547 of 2025; two-week timeline for criminal court decision; disposed with no costs.

What did the court decide?

Liberty to the petitioner to apply to the jurisdictional criminal Court for permission for issuance/renewal of the passport; the criminal Court to pass orders within two weeks of filing; no costs. ¶29

T.Sekar Vs The Regional Passport Officer — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

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W.P.(MD)No.17841 of 2026

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BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

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DATED: 25.06.2026

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CORAM

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THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR

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W.P.(MD)No.17841 of 2026

T.Sekar

... Petitioner

vs.

1.The Regional Passport Officer, Office of the Regional Passport Officer, Madurai Bharathi Ula Veethi, Race Course Road, Madurai.

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2.The Superintendent of Police, Office of the Superintendent of Police, Sivagangai District.

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3.The Inspector of Police, Thiruppuvanam Police Station, Sivagangai District.

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... Respondents

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PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Mandamus, to direct the 1^st respondent to issue a passport to the petitioner based on the Application submitted by the petitioner with Reference Number.25-1001860825.

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1/5

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

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W.P.(MD)No.17841 of 2026

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For Petitioner	:Mr.S.Ramsundar Vijayaraj for M/s.Veera Associates
For R1	:Mr.R.Saravana Kumar
	Central Government Standing Counsel
For R2	:Mr.R.Mohamed Riyaz
	Government Advocate (Crl.side) *****

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O R D E R

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The petitioner is before this Court seeking issuance of a Writ of

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Mandamus directing the first respondent to issue a passport to the petitioner based on the petitioner’s application bearing Application No. 25-1001860825.

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The petitioner’s request for issuance of a passport has not been processed on the ground that a criminal case is pending against the petitioner before the Judicial Magistrate Court, Tiruppuvanam, in C.C. No. 322 of 2025.

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The Hon’ble Full Bench of this Court in W.P.(MD) No. 26547 of 2025, while answering a reference as to whether the re-issue/renewal of a passport should be treated in the same manner as the issuance of a fresh

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2/5

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

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W.P.(MD)No.17841 of 2026

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passport or merely as a case of renewal, held that the re-issue/renewal of

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a passport must be treated in the same manner as the issuance of a fresh passport. However, liberty was granted to the petitioner therein to obtain prior permission from the concerned Court and submit the same along with the passport application, as contemplated under the Passport Act, 1967.

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In view of the above, this Writ Petition is disposed of granting liberty to the petitioner to approach the jurisdictional Court, where the criminal case is pending, and file an appropriate application seeking permission for issuance/renewal of the passport. If such an application is filed, the criminal Court concerned shall consider and pass appropriate orders within a period of two weeks from the date of filing of the application. No costs.

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Index :Yes / No 25.06.2026 Internet :Yes / No NCC :Yes / No cmr

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3/5

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

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W.P.(MD)No.17841 of 2026

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1.The Superintendent of Police, Office of the Superintendent of Police, Sivagangai District.

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