JUDGEMENT/ORDER :

1. The petitioner holds Indian passport bearing No. K0166531 issued by respondent No. 2, which is valid w.e.f. 20th November, 2012 to 19th November, 2022. The petitioner filed an application on 20th December, 2021 for renewal/re-issue of the passport in his favour, which was going to expire on 19th November, 2022.

2. The grievance of the petitioner is that even after the lapse of substantial time, there was no intimation from respondent No. 2 in respect of status of his request for renewal/re-issue of the passport. The petitioner was, however, informed that his police verification was awaited. With a view to know the reasons for delay in issuance of renewal/re-issue of the passport, the petitioner moved an application under Right to Information Act for seeking information in respect of the latest status of his passport file submitted on 20th December, 2021. In response to the Right to Information application filed by the petitioner, the respondents intimated to the petitioner that the delay was due to non-receipt of police verification report. It was, however, on 13.04.2022, the petitioner received a message from the passport office that the police had submitted an