IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NAGESH BHEEMAPAKA WRIT PETITION No.33977 of 2025

11.12.2025 Between:

Amrutha Yeleswarapu …Petitioner AND Union of India &another …Respondents

ORDER:

The petitioner challenges the action of respondent No.2 in issuing the impugned letter dated 19.09.2024, rejecting her request for correction of her date of birth in Passport No.Z4277052 (old) from 19.08.1994 to 19.08.1982, on the ground that such request cannot be entertained after five years from the date of issuance of the initial passport. The petitioner seeks a direction to the respondents to consider her request without reference to the delay and in the light of earlier orders passed by this Court.

2. Heard Smt. Dr. M. Madhavi Latha, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri. K.V. Rama Rao, learned Senior Standing Counsel for Central Government, for the respondents.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner’s correct date of birth is 19.08.1982, as reflected in her SSC Marks Memo and other educational records, and that the entry of 19.08.1994 in her initial passport was incorrect. She submits that while applying for re-issuance of passport in September, 2024, the petitioner sought for correction of her date of birth, but the same was rejected solely on the ground of delay. She relies upon the additional guidelines of the Office Memorandum dated 22.09.2016, which permits consideration of genuine cases for change of date of birth even beyond five years, and also relies on the orders of this Court in W.P.No.13636 of 2022 and W.P.No.11323 of 2023, wherein similar requests for correction of date of birth, based on educational records, were directed to be considered despite delay. She further submits that the petitioner’s case is identical and is entitled to similar treatment.

4. Learned Senior Standing Counsel for the respondents submits that while issuing the initial passport in the year 2017, the petitioner had submitted an affidavit mentioning her date of birth as 19.08.1994, and therefore no clerical or departmental mistake occurred. He submits that as per the extant Passport Rules and the guidelines, a request for correction of date of birth cannot be accepted, if made, after five years from the date of issuance of the initial passport. He relies on the order of this Court in W.P.No.2005 of 2025, wherein the writ petition was dismissed on the ground that the request for correction of date of birth was made several decades after issuance of the initial passport. He, therefore, support the rejection letter dated 19.09.2024.

5. The additional guidelines of the Office Memorandum dated 22.09.2016 specifically provides that the Passport Issuing Authority (PIA) shall consider the explanation of each applicant seeking change of date of birth to assess the genuineness of the claim, even where more than five years have elapsed from issuance of the passport. It further directs the PIA not to reject such requests routinely, and to consider the same if a genuine explanation and authentic supporting documents are furnished.

6. In the present case, the petitioner has produced her SSC Marks Memo reflecting her date of birth as 19.08.1982, and seeks only a direction for consideration of her request in accordance with the additional guidelines of the aforesaid Office Memorandum. This Court finds that the petitioner’s case falls within the ambit of the additional guidelines issued by the Office Memorandum dated 22.09.2016 and requires reconsideration by respondent No.2.

7. In view of the above, the Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to respondent No.2 to consider the petitioner’s request for correction of her date of birth in Passport No.Z4277052 (old), strictly in accordance with the additional guidelines contained in Office Memorandum dated 22.09.2016, and pass appropriate speaking orders within a period of two (2) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, and comm