Syed Manan Andrabi and Another v. Union of India (Ministry of External Affairs) and Another

Serial No. 145 Suppl. Cause List

HIGH COURT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AND LADAKH AT SRINAGAR

WP(C) 1068/2026 CM(2791/2026)

¶1Syed Manan Andrabi (25 years) S/O Syed Maznoor Andrabi R/O Zadoora, Pulwama.

¶2Syed Manal Andrabi (27 years) D/O Syed Manzoor Andrabi R/O Zadoora, Pulwama. ...Appellant(s)/Petitioner(s)

Through: - Mr. Arshid Andrabi, Advocate with Ms. Humaira Shafi, Advocate.

V/s

¶1Union of India through Secretary Ministry of External Affairs New Delhi.

¶2Regional Passport Officer/Designated Authority Srinagar.

… Respondent(s) Through:- Mr. T. M. Shamsi, DSGI, with Ms. Beenish, Advocate. CORAM:

HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M. A. CHOWDHARY, JUDGE.

(ORDER)

12.05.2026

¶1Petitioners, through the medium of this petition are aggrieved of the alleged action of respondent No. 2, for not accepting their documents for issuing a renewed passport, depicting corrected/ authenticated date of Birth issued by the Registrar, Births and Deaths, School Leaving Certificate and Adhaar Card and seek a direction to Respondent No. 2-Passport Authority to re-issue the passport in their favour by incorporating their correct Dates

of Birth. It is alleged that the petitioners, have approached the respondent-Passport Authority several times, requesting for expediting the re-issuance of passport with corrected particulars, especially the date of Birth, recorded therein, but the same have not been issued till date

¶2It is pleaded that the petitioners had also approached this Court, through the medium of WP(C) No. 1476/2025 and this court vide order dated 30th of June, 2025 directed the respondent-Passport Authority to decide the case within six weeks, however, no decision has been taken within the stipulated time.

¶3Learned counsel for the petitioners, submits that the matter is governed by the Office Memorandum dated 26th of November, 2015, issued by Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi , Sub-clause (IV) of clause 4 of the Memorandum deals with the matter, which reads as follow:-

(iv). In no way, the Passport Authority will relegate the applicant to obtain the declaratory court order to carry out changes with regard to date of birth in the passport, as the Passport Authority subject to the condition that the case has been submitted by the applicant within the stipulated time limit of 5 years from the date of issuance of passport (except the cases of minor passport holder as detailed in Para 5(ii) above would now be eligible to accept the genuine cases, irrespective of the deference of date of birth.

¶4Learned counsel for the petitioners further submits that the petitioners would be satisfied, in case, the petition is disposed of at this stage with a direction to the respondents to consider the case of the petitioners, for re-issuance of the passport with correct date of birth.

¶5Mr. T. M. Shamsi, DSGI while appearing on behalf of the respondents submits that the respondents shall not be averse to considering

the plea raised by the learned counsel for the petitioners in accordance with rules.

¶6In view of the facts and circumstances of the case, submissions, urged at the Bar and limited nature of the relief prayed for by the petitioners, the instant petition is disposed of, at this motion stage, with a direction to Respondent No. 2-Passport Authority to consider the request of the petitioners for effecting necessary correction in the particulars of their Dates of Birth, after verifying the original testimonials as may be produced by the petitioners in support of their claim. The aforesaid exercise be completed by the passport authority, within a period of six weeks from the date, a copy of this order is served upon respondent No. 2.

¶7Disposed of along with pending application(s).

(M. A. CHOWDHARY)

JUDGE SRINAGAR May, 12th 2026. "Shoaib javid"