I GANAPATHY Vs. REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These are two appeals, one by the complainant and the other by the opposite party.

(2.) The case of the Complainant was as follows:- He applied in the course of August, 1991 to the opposite party for issuance of a passport to him. In the meanwhile he got one offer to go abroad and to get a lucrative employment which he had to decline for want of passport. The passport office has been delaying the matter. It was dealing with it in a sluggish manner and has been asking for certificates and informations not required. Though more than 18 months elapsed from the date of his application he was not yet supplied with a passport. He therefore, prayed for an order directing the Passport Authorities to issue forthwith a passport and to pay a compensation to the tune of Rs. 2,75,000/-.

(3.) In the course of the pendency of the proceedings before the District Forum the complainant received his passport. Dealing only with the compensation, the District Forum directed the opposite party to pay an amount of Rs. 300/as compensation. Aggrieved by the meagre amount granted as compensation the complainant filed this appeal first cited. Taking the stand that no compensation ought to have been ordered by the District Forum, the opposite party has preferred the appeal second cited. Both of the appeals have been heard together and are disposed of by this common order. The learned Government Pleader has raised the question of maintainability of the complaint.