Decide on passport renewal of cancer patient in 60 days: Chhattisgarh HC

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh high court on Thursday directed the secretary of ministry of external affairs and regional passport officer (RPO), Raipur to take a decision on passport renewal of a petitioner within 60 days.

The petitioner, Mahendra Singh, who is suffering from cancer and wants to get treated in United States, recently moved the high court for renewal of his passport which has been pending since October 2016.

Disposing Singh's petition, the bench of Justice Goutam Bhaduri said in his order that the application for passport renewal was filed in year 2016. Consequently, a person cannot be placed in uncertainty as it is already 2019. The petitioner has all the right to know within the stipulated period of time, as to why the passport is not being renewed and may take further action, if so advised, the order read.

Singh, 70, resident of Bilaspur, had moved high court alleging that the authorities are not responding to his application for passport renewal, which he filed on October 26, 2016.

Advocate AS Kachhwaha, appearing for the petitioners counsel, contended that the Mahendra Singh is suffering with cancer and he seeks to get treatment in US. The petitioner needs passport and the respondents here including Union of India, through Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs, and Immigration, Regional Passport Officer Raipur and Assistant Passport Officer (Police Verification) Consular, Passport And Visa (CPV) Division, New Delhi are completely dormant and not issuing the passport of the petitioner.

The order noted that respondents counsel submitted that the passport is being kept in prior approval category. Therefore, the local body is unable to issue the same.

The high court directed the respondents to take all measures taking into consideration his medical condition and shall decide issuance of renewed passport within 60 days, the order said.