The Allahabad High Court ruled this. (Representative)
Prayagraj:
The Allahabad High Court has held that a person’s application for a passport cannot be refused merely on the ground that the applicant has a pending criminal case.
Dismissing a writ petition filed by Akash Kumar of Jaunpur district, a division bench comprising Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Prashant Kumar on Wednesday also directed the passport authorities to decide within six weeks the petitioner’s application for issuance of a passport.
The petitioner has filed a petition asking the court to quash the order dated July 21, 2023 passed by Passport Seva Kendra, Varanasi dismissing his application on the ground that the police verification report is not clear.
The petitioner also requested the court to direct the Regional Passport Office, Lucknow and Passport Seva Kendra, Varanasi, to issue him a passport.
Counsel for the petitioner submitted before the court that it is settled law of the Supreme Court as well as this court that a passport cannot be refused merely on the basis of a criminal case. To support his argument, he placed the judgment of the Allahabad High Court in the case of Basoo Yadav versus Union of India (2022).
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