JUDGMENT Dated this the 26^th day of December, 2025 The petitioner is a Passport holder bearing Passport No.I0336382 issued at Riyadh. The said Passport was impounded at Cochin International Airport as per Ext.P1 and thereafter forwarded to the Regional Passport Office, Cochin. The Passport was impounded purportedly under the provisions of the Passports Act , 1967, alleging violation of Ext.P2 notification dated 26.09.2017, which imposed restrictions on travel of Indian citizens to Yemen.

2. The petitioner submits that the petitioner has not violated any condition of Ext.P2 notification. Her last travel to Yemen was in the year 2012, at which point of time no travel restriction was in force. The petitioner was married to a citizen of Yemen much prior to the issuance of Ext.P2 notification and has three children. She is employed as a Nurse in a hospital at Yemen. After the impounding of the Passport, the petitioner approached the Regional Passport Office, Cochin and submitted a representation seeking release of the Passport along with the affidavit as directed.

3. Subsequently, the petitioner was informed that the matter had been forwarded to the Ministry for consideration of releas