Allahabad High Court
TALAT PARVEENversusUNION OF INDIA AND 3 OTHERS
- Decided
Holding
Pendency of criminal proceedings alone does not justify denial of a passport; the applicant must be given an opportunity to obtain a court order permitting travel before renewal can be refused.
Summary
The petitioner, Talat Parveen, filed a writ petition seeking a mandamus directing the Regional Passport Officer, Bareilly, to renew her passport, which had expired on 29 July 2019. The officer had refused renewal on the ground that a criminal case against the petitioner was pending. The Court examined precedent, noting that the Allahabad High Court in Pawan Kumar Rajbhar (2024) held that mere pendency of criminal proceedings does not justify denial of a passport and that the applicant must be informed and given eight weeks to obtain permission from a competent court. The Court also relied on Harshit Vaish (2026), which affirmed that an order from the competent court permitting travel is a prerequisite, as per the Office Memorandum dated 06‑12‑2024 issued under Section 22 of the Passports Act. Accordingly, the Court declined to issue a writ of mandamus, directing the petitioner to make a fresh representation to the passport officer within one month and directing the officer to decide the application within three months, in accordance with Notification G.S.R. 570(E) 1993 and the 2024 memorandum. The petition was disposed of with these directions.
Issues considered
- Whether the pendency of a criminal case justifies denial of passport renewal
- Whether a mandamus can be issued directing the passport officer to renew the passport
- What procedural steps must be followed under Notification G.S.R. 570(E) 1993 and the Office Memorandum dated 06.12.2024
Legislation cited
- Passports Act, 1967 — s. 22
Subjects
- passport renewal
- criminal proceedings
- mandamus
- Section 22
- Notification G.S.R. 570(E) 1993
- Office Memorandum 06.12.2024
- court permission
- High Court
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
WRIT - C No. - 17847 of 2026
Talat Parveen
.....Petitioner(s)
Versus
Union Of India And 3 Others
.....Respondent(s)
Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Danish, Rajiv Sisodia
Counsel for Respondent(s) : A.S.G.I., Ashish Kumar Mishra, C.S.C.
Court No. - 40
HON'BLE SARAL SRIVASTAVA, J.
HON'BLE GARIMA PRASHAD, J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri Ashish Kumar Mishra,
learned counsel appearing for the respondent Nos.1 & 2 and learned
Standing Counsel appearing for respondent Nos.3 & 4.
2. The petitioner by means of present writ petition has prayed for the
following relief:-
"(i) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus
to direct respondent no.2 to renew passport no.H5438844 which
was valid up to 29.7.2019."
3. The petitioner has applied for renewal issue of her passport. According
to the petitioner, the respondent No.2/Regional Passport Officer, Bareilly
has neither renewed the passport nor has passed any order for grant of
issuance of passport on the ground of pendency of a criminal case against
the petitioner.
4. A coordinate Bench of this Court in Pawan Kumar Rajbhar v. Union
of India and others (Writ-C No. 41540 of 2023, decided on 19.01.2024)
has held that pendency of criminal proceedings, including at the stage of
investigation, does not by itself justify rejection of a passport application,
which must be considered in terms of Notification dated 25.08.1993. It
has further laid down that upon receipt of information regarding pendency
of criminal proceedings from the State authorities, the Regional Passport
Office shall intimate the applicant within one week and grant not less than
WRIC No. 17847 of 2026
2
eight weeks to obtain permission from the competent court, during which
period the application may be kept pending. Upon submission of such
permission, the passport shall be processed expeditiously and without
undue delay, preferably within one week.
5. Further, in Harshit Vaish v. State of U.P. and another (Criminal
Revision No. 524 of 2026, decided on 18.03.2026), this Court, taking note
of Office Memorandum dated 06.12.2024 issued by the Ministry of
External Affairs, has observed that while no separate NOC is required, an
order of the competent court permitting the applicant to travel abroad is a
necessary precondition for issuance of a passport. The trial court may
grant or refuse permission and may impose such conditions as it deems
appropriate, including specification of the duration of travel.
6. In view of the above, since the decision in respect of issuance of the
passport is to be taken by respondent No.2, accordingly, the petitioner is
permitted to file a fresh representation before respondent No.2 within a
period of one month from today. On filing the said representation,
respondent No.2 shall consider and decide the application for issuance of
passport to the petitioner in the light of the aforesaid judgements within a
period of three months from the date of receipt of such representation.
7. It is clarified that this Court does not dilute or depart from the
mandatory framework contained in Notification G.S.R. 570(E) dated 25
August 1993 and the clarificatory Office Memorandum dated 06.12.2024
issued under Section 22 of the Passports Act, 1967, including the
stipulation that, where no specific period is fixed by the competent Court,
the passport shall be issued for a period of one year.
(Garima Prashad,J.) (Saral Srivastava,J.)
May 6, 2026
Rakesh
Digitally signed by :-
RAKESH MEHTA
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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