A Jabalpur resident has moved the MP high court after he was allegedly denied documents related to a passport made in the name of his minor son, though he had not applied for it.
The resident, Sirajuddin Khan (30), had sought the documents from the Bhopal passport office under the RTI provisions.
Khan was surfing on the passport office website when he found the passport number H-9303927 prepared in the name of his minor son, Parveez, though he had not applied for the same, his counsel informed.
The petitioner has a family dispute and stays away from his wife, but his son lives with him.
His petition came up for hearing before a division bench of Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Sanjay Yadav on Friday.
The court issued notices on the Union government through secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, the appellate authority chief passport officer, New Delhi, the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) Bhopal, the passport officer, Bhopal, and passport officer LK Vaghela during hearing of the petition.
On August 16, 2011 Sirajuddin sought information from the passport office, Bhopal, under RTI Act about relevant documents on the basis of which his son’s passport was made.
{{/usCountry}}On August 16, 2011 Sirajuddin sought information from the passport office, Bhopal, under RTI Act about relevant documents on the basis of which his son’s passport was made.
{{/usCountry}}On September 8, 2011, the passport office denied to supply the documents to him saying he was a third party and personal information couldn’t be provided.
The petitioner moved the appellate authority (chief passport officer, New Delhi).
The appellate authority directed the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), Bhopal, to check whether the petitioner’s son is minor and verify signature in the father’s column in the application form for preparing passport.
On January 6, 2012, the petitioner made an application along with his specimen signature to the CPIO, Bhopal, as directed but still the documents were not provided to him.
The petitioner made several requests to the passport office, Bhopal, but there was no response forcing him to move the high court.
As the boy is minor the signature of his father is mandatory, the petitioner’s counsel Parag Chaturvedi said. The petitioner never applied for his son’s passport, the counsel said.