The Punjab and Haryana High Court in the case Vikramjeet Singh v. Union of India and others has pulled up state authorities for not sending the police verification for issuing passport in the prescribed proforma, despite specific directions issued in different cases repeatedly.
The court in the case observed that in September 2023 that the police authorities are sending incomplete reports which is the ‘root cause of denial of passport’.
The court directed the police authorities to disclose complete status of FIR in verification done for issuing of the passport.
It has also been emphasized by the said court that the proforma prepared for the information to be furnished by the Police Official in the meeting called by the Additional Solicitor General of India, pursuant to the case Mohan Lal @ Mohna vs. Union of India and others, which needs to be followed.
The bench of Justice Jagmohan Bansal in the case observed and has stated that despite specific orders passed in Mohan Lal @ Mohna (supra) as well as order dated September 13, 2023, the State authorities have not started sending police verification report in the prescribed proforma.
Therefore, the passport authorities are also not asking the police officials to send their report in the prescribed proforma.
The court stated that the afore-stated orders was passed to avoid undesired litigation wherein neither the passport authorities nor the police authorities are interested to avoid litigation.
The passport authorities were directed to implement the aforesaid orders in letter and spirit and if the authorities in future fail to implement the afore-stated orders, they would be hauled up in contempt proceedings.
The court made the said observations wherein the petition is moved by the applicant denied passport due to ‘adverse police verification’ and he was being acquitted in a criminal case and appeal against the same was pending before the High Court.
The court noted that the police verification was not done as per the prescribed proforma which is the cause of the rejection of his application, thus, the Court had issued notice to Union government and State.
The counsel, Raman Sharma, Addl. A.G.Haryana, asserted before the court that the order passed by the court in the case Mohan Lal @ Mohan case has not been circulated to field staff, thus, police officials are still sending report as per old proforma.
The counsel, Senior panel counsel for Union of India submitted before the court that the application of the petitioner would be considered and disposed of within six weeks.
Accordingly, the court disposed of the plea.
The counsel, Kushagra Beniwal, Advocate appeared for the petitioner.
The Senior Panel Counsel, Amit Sharma appeared for the Union of India.
The counsel, Raman Sharma represented the Addl. A. G. Haryana.
