Prayagraj (UP), April 9 The Allahabad High Court has observed that renewing a passport is a legitimate right that a person has, and this right cannot be denied based solely on anxiety or fear.
Allowing an application filed by Rampur resident Dilip, Justice Saurabh Srivastava directed the regional passport officer to renew Dilip's passport immediately.
The court overturned the order of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate dated July 30, 2025, which had rejected Dilip's application for permission to renew his passport.
According to the case facts, Dilip went to Saudi Arabia, where he currently resides, and wanted to return to India to appear before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Rampur in connection with a criminal case, where a non-bailable warrant had been issued against him.
However, when he applied for permission to renew his passport, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate rejected the application.
Subsequently, he filed the present application under Section 528 (inherent powers of the High Court) before the High Court, challenging the order.
During the hearing, the state counsel argued that after his passport is renewed, there is no guarantee or undertaking in the application that Dilip will return to India and appear before the court.
Having heard both sides, the High Court, in its judgment on Tuesday, noted that renewing the passport is the legitimate right of the applicant, and this right cannot be denied solely based on the anxiety and fear expressed by the state counsel.
The court directed the regional passport officer to renew Dilip's passport immediately, if there are no other obstacles.