Mr. Kumar Pujar Doddanaik v. Regional Passport Office Bengaluru,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 14TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ WRIT PETITION NO.20845 OF 2026 (GM-PASS)

BETWEEN:

MR. KUMAR PUJAR DODDANAIK, SON OF SRI. DODDANAIK, AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS, R/AT NO.1221/A, 2ND A CROSS, 19TH MAIN, J.P.NAGAR, 2ND PHASE, BENGALURU - 560 078. …PETITIONER

(BY SRI.KIRAN R., ADVOCATE)

AND:

REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICE, BENGALURU, REP. BY THE REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICER, 8TH BLOCK, 80 FEET ROAD, KORAMANGALA, BANGALORE - 560 095. …RESPONDENT

(BY SMT.SWAMINI G.MOHANAMBAL, ADVOCATE)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO A. QUASHING THE LETTER DATED

02.07.2026 BEARING REF NO. OBJ/1055711276/26 ISSUED BY THE RESPONDENT TO THE PETITIONER AT ANNEXURE - A AND ETC.,

by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ

ORAL ORDER

¶1Smt.Swamini Mohanambal, learned counsel accepts notice for the respondent.

¶2The petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following reliefs: "WHEREFORE, It is most humbly prayed that this Hon'ble court may be pleased to: a. Issue a Writ of Certiorari or any other appropriate Writ or order in the nature of Writ quashing the Letter dated 02.07.2026 bearing Ref No.OBJ/1055711276/26 issued by the Respondent to the Petitioner at Annexure A; b. Issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ or order in the nature of Writ directing the Respondent to consider the Online Passport Application Receipt bearing ARN NO.B26-1056425366 for the passport renewal by the petitioner and renew the passport of the petitioner at Annexure D. c. Grant other such reliefs as this Hon'ble Court deems fit and direct the respondent to pay the costs and expenses of this writ petition to the petitioner, in the interest of justice and equity."

¶3The petitioner being a permanent resident of J.P.Nagar, Bangalore, is working as an Executive Engineer in the Karnataka State Warehousing Corporation. The petitioner having made an application for renewal of his passport, an Endorsement at Annexure-A dated 02.07.2026 came to be issued stating that the petitioner had not submitted a Court Judgment/Decision allowing the petitioner to travel abroad. There is a proceeding pending in Crime No.9/2017 initiated by the ACB, Bangalore City Police Station.

¶4The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that before the petitioner were to travel, he would obtain the said permission from the concerned Court in seizure of Crime No.9/2017 and only thereafter travel.

¶5In view of the categorical undertaking of the petitioner, this Court is of the considered opinion that the right to travel being a fundamental right under

Article 21 of the Constitution of India is recognized and upheld by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Mahesh Kumar Agarwal Vs. Union of India reported in (2025 INSC 1476), the respondent-Passport Authority cannot deny renewal of the passport to the petitioner. Albeit, the renewal can always be on a short validity basis, the apprehension of the respondent being addressed by the petitioner obtaining such permission from the concerned Court seized of the criminal proceeding before travelling abroad.

¶6In that view of the matter, this Court passes the following ORDER

(i) The writ petition is allowed.

(ii) A certiorari is issued, the letter dated 02.07.2026 bearing Ref.No.OBJ/1055711276/26 issued by the respondent at Annexure-A is quashed.

(iii) A mandamus is issued directing the respondent to consider the application of the petitioner and grant renewal of the passport of the petitioner within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.

(iv) It is made clear that the petitioner shall be permitted to travel only after obtaining the permission from the concerned Court in seizure of the criminal proceedings.

Sd/- (SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE

PB List No.: 1 Sl No.: 16