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NEUTRAL CITATION

C/SCA/7215/2026 JUDGMENT DATED: 08/05/2026

0.305017656049796

IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

R/SPECIAL CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 7215 of 2026

FOR APPROVAL AND SIGNATURE:

HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE HEMANT M. PRACHCHHAK

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Approved for Reporting Yes No

✔

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PATEL BIPINCHANDRA PURSHOTTAMDAS

Versus

REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICER AHMEDABAD

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Appearance:

MR MOIZ S QURESHI(12981) for the Petitioner(s) No. 1

MR PRADIP D BHATE(1523) for the Respondent(s) No. 1

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CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE HEMANT M.

PRACHCHHAK

Date : 08/05/2026

JUDGMENT

1. RULE returnable forthwith. Learned Standing Counsel waives

service of notice of rule on behalf of the respondents.

2. With the consent of learned counsel for the respective parties,

the present petition is taken up for hearing.

3. Present petition is filed by the petitioner under Article 226 of

the Constitution of India and under the provisions of the Passport Act,

1967 seeking direction to respondent Passport authority to issue

passport for a period of 10 years to the petitioner.

4. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel

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NEUTRAL CITATION

C/SCA/7215/2026 JUDGMENT DATED: 08/05/2026

0.305017656049796

Standing Counsel for the respondents - authorities.

5. Learned advocate for the petitioner has submitted that under

the prevalent rules of the GSR Notification 570(E) dated 25.08.1993,

the respondent authority has to renew the passport of the petitioner

for a period of 10 years. He has submitted that as the validity of the

petitioner’s passport was expired, the petitioner had applied for

renewal of the passport for the period of 10 years, however, the

respondent authority has issued the passport bearing no.AR037160

on 20.04.2026 in favour of the petitioner for a period of one year. He

has submitted that the petitioner has to travel to abroad and,

therefore, he has submitted that appropriate direction be passed

since the petitioner is well settled and has no intention of absconding.

6. Per contra, Mr. Pradip D. Bhate, learned Standing Counsel for

the respondents has submitted that the passport of the petitioner has

been renewed from time to time in terms of the GSR Notification

570(E) dated 25.08.1993. He submits that where the order of the Trial

Court grants permission to travel abroad for a period of less than 1

year but does not specify the period, the passport has to be renewed

only for 1 year. He submits that in view of said Notification, the

passport authorities have issued the passport as per the rules and the

prevalent notifications. He submits that, however, there is no

restriction on this Court to issue a direction for issuance of the

passport for a certain period of validity as per the rules. He, therefore,

submits that appropriate directions be passed accordingly.

7. Considered the submissions and perused the documents on

record.

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NEUTRAL CITATION

C/SCA/7215/2026 JUDGMENT DATED: 08/05/2026

0.305017656049796

8. The GSR Notification 570(E) dated 25.08.1993 reads as under:-

G.S.R 570 (E)-In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a)

of the Section 22 of the Passports Act 1967 (15 of 1967) and in

supersession of the notification of the Government of India in the

Ministry of External Affairs No. G.S.R. 298(E), dated the 14th

April, 1976, the Central Government, being of the opinion that it

is necessary in public interest to do so, hereby exempts citizens

of India against whom proceedings in respect of an offences

alleged to have been committed by them are pending before a

criminal court in India and who produce orders from the