VIBHAS ARORA Vs. REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner seeks a mandamus directing the respondent to issue/renew the passport of the petitioner. The petitioner had applied for a passport after the divorce of his parents. It is contended that the ground for divorce was desertion and neglect by the father.

(2.) On 27.06.2007, first passport was issued to the petitioner. In the Column of biological father, no name is mentioned. The passport mentions "NIL". The passport was valid upto 26.06.2017.

(3.) The petitioner has taken admission in the course of Master of Information Systems in Australia. The session commenced on 27.07.2015 and ends on 30.06.2017. Since the passport of the petitioner originally issued expires before the conclusion of the said course, the petitioner applied for renewal /issuance of a fresh passport. In the application form submitted for renewal of the passport, the petitioner has once again, in the column of father's name, entered "NIL". Instead of issuing a fresh passport, the respondent cancelled the earlier passport and have refused to issue a fresh passport on the ground that it is mandatory to mention the biological father in the family details.