ORDER:

The case of petitioner - a retired Additional Superintendent of Police is that the 3^rd respondent married his daughter who died on 31.10.2020 and subsequently, he married another woman without intimation and left the minor children of the deceased who are under the care of petitioner – grandfather. It is stated, petitioner filed GWOP No. 83 of 2023 in Family Court, Ranga Reddy District seeking custody/guardianship of the minor and the same is pending for adjudication.

1.1. Meanwhile, petitioner and his wife having valid passports, are planning to go abroad to spend with their children and since the minor children of the deceased daughter were not having passports, they could not go there. Petitioner therefore, is stated to have approached Respondent No.2 and applied for passport to the minor grandsons namely Abdul Raafay Syed and Abdul Waasey Javid Syed dated 02.02.2024. Petitioner also submitted the affidavits as directed by the 2^nd respondent, duly mentioning the pendency of GWOP. Later, the 2^nd respondent insisted for the consent of father of the minor sons for issuance of passport vide letter dated 01.04.2024 quoting Chapter 9 Para 4 of Passport Manual, 2020; when asked, t