PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Mandamus, to direct the 1st Respondent to issue the Passport to the Petitioner on his application in File No.TR1076586600926 of the 1st Respondent in a time bound manner.

O R D E R

The petitioner is before this Court seeking issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the first respondent to issue a passport to the petitioner based on the petitioner’s application bearing Application No. TR1076586600926.

2. The petitioner’s request for re-issuance of a passport has not been processed on the ground that a criminal case is pending against the petitioner before the District Munsif cum Judicial Magistrate Court, Thiruvidaimaruthur, in C.C. No. 04 of 2023.

3. The Hon’ble Full Bench of this Court in W.P.(MD) No. 26547 of 2025, while answering a reference as to whether the re-issue/renewal of a passport should be treated in the same manner as the issuance of a fresh passport or merely as a case of renewal, held that the re-issue/renewal of a passport must be treated in the same manner as the issuance of a fresh passport. However, liberty was granted to the petitioner therein to obtain prior permission from the concerned Court and submit the same along with the passport application, as contemplated under the Passport Act, 1967.

4. In view of the above, this Writ Petition is disposed of granting liberty to the petitioner to approach the jurisdictional Court, where the criminal case is pending, and file an appropriate application seeking permission for issuance/renewal of the passport. If such an application is filed, the criminal Court concerned shall consider and pass appropriate orders within a period of four weeks from the date of filing of the application.

5.There shall be no order as to costs.