M.S. Sonak, J.

1. Rule. Rule is made returnable forthwith and heard finally by consent of the parties.

2. The petitioner, who has attained majority seeks a writ of mandamus directing the Regional Passport Officer, Mumbai (respondent no. 2) to issue a passport in his name as indicated in a deed of adoption dated 28.06.2001.

3. The brief facts and circumstances in which the petitioner was required to file the present petition are set out hereunder:-

(A) The petitioner was born on 28.11.1991 to Suryakant Nisar and his wife Jigna Suryakant Nisar, hereinafter referred to as the 'petitioner's biological parents'.

(B) By a deed of adoption dated 28.06.2001, the petitioner, then 9 years old, was taken in adoption by one Ramesh Vora and his wife. The said Ramesh Vora is hereinafter referred to as the 'adoptive father of the petitioner'.

Incidentally, the said Suryakant Nisar is the maternal uncle of the petitioner.

(C) The petitioner has placed on record the Maharashtra Government Gazette published on 19.7.2001 (Entry No.X-5353) as also classified advertisements in newspapers, which notified that the name of the petitioner has been changed from Mihir Suryakant Nisar to 'Mih