THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE NAGESH BHEEMAPAKA WRIT PETITION No.32258 OF 2025

ORDER:

The writ petitioner is facing criminal proceedings in C.C.No.7279 of 2024 on the file of the I Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Nampally. He applied for renewal of his passport No.C8040626, and the 2nd respondent - Passport Officer, Secunderabad, has renewed the passport for a period of one year instead of the usual ten-year period. Hence, this writ petition.

2. Heard Sri B. Narsing, learned counsel for the petitioner, and the learned Standing Counsel for the Central Government for the respondents. Perused the record.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the mere pendency of a criminal case cannot be a ground for refusing to renew the passport for the usual period (i.e., ten years). He further submits that the petitioner earlier filed W.P.No.35582 of 2024 before this Court, and the same was allowed vide order dated 24.12.2024, directing respondent No.2 to take steps for reissuing the passport. Accordingly, respondent No.2 has issued the new passport, but it is valid only for one year, i.e., from 04.02.2025 to 03.02.2026, instead of ten years. Therefore, he prays for a direction to