JUDGMENT

Dated this the 31st day of August, 2022 S.Manikumar, C.J.

Instant appeal is filed by the petitioner in W.P.(C)

No.23878 of 2022, challenging the judgment of the learned single Judge dated 27.07.2022, whereby the following reliefs sought for by the petitioner was declined and the writ petition was dismissed.

“I. To issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ order or direction directing the 2^nd respondent to renew the passport of the petitioner in the light of Ext.P2 application, within a time frame fixed by this Hon’ble Court.

II. Alternatively direct the 2^nd respondent to consider and pass orders on Ext.P8 within a time frame fixed by this Hon’ble Court.”

2. Short facts leading to the filing of the writ petition are as hereunder:

Petitioner was issued with a passport bearing No.L225434 in the year 1992 issued by the Regional Passport OfÏcer, Kochi. The aforementioned passport, as per the averment, was lost in the year 2001, though had knowledge of the loss, submitted a fresh application before the Passport OfÏcer, Thiruvananthapuram without disclosing the number of the previous passport. A new passport was issued bearing No.J4409914 in the year 2001. The aforemention