In a petition filed before the Gujarat High Court to seek directions for quashing and setting aside communications dated 12-08-2025 issued by the Regional Passport Office, Ahmedabad (Respondent 1), whereby the petitioner was asked to produce a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the husband (respondent 2), a Single Judge Bench of Justice L.S. Pirzada allowed the petition and accordingly issued directions against the Regional Passport Office, Ahmedabad.
The parents of the minor petitioners had obtained a decree of divorce on 10-08-2022 by mutual understanding in a suit filed at the Family Court, Vadodara. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was executed between both parties, as per which two minor children were in the custody of the mother (petitioner 3).
The petitioners submitted that the passports of the minor petitioners had to be renewed, as petitioner 1 was required to attach a copy of the passport when completing the SAT examination form. However, upon approaching the passport authority, they refused to renew the passports because an NOC from the father for the renewal was unavailable.
It was submitted that securing the husband’s consent was not possible at the time and that, if the passports are not renewed, the minor daughter would have to suffer.
The Court perused Section 4(3) of Schedule II of the Passport Rules, 1980, and allowed the present petition. Thus, the Court directed the Passport Office to consider the mother’s application as a single parent and renew the passports of both minor petitioners within a week.
Appearances:
For Petitioner – Ms. Grishma Ahuja, Mr. Karna H Dhomse
For Respondents – Mr. Pradip D Bhate
