The petitioner is the holder of Indian Passport bearing No.L 4971074 issued by the Regional Passport Officer, Kozhikode. The date of birth in the above passport is shown as 15.2.1956. According to the petitioner his actual date of birth is 24.4.1969. The petitioner relies on Exts.P2 to P4. The petitioner is now admittedly working abroad in Saudi Arabia. The petitioner has approached the Passport Authority, Kozhikode for correction of the date of birth in the passport. But on account of the huge disparity or difference in the date of birth, the passport authority refused to consider his application. It is on account of non-consideration of the application that the petitioner has approached this Court.
2. This Court has in series of writ petitions held that the passport authorities have power to correct the passport even if the difference is more than two years. Therefore power can be exercised if there is any genuine reasons warranting correction of date of birth. Since the petitioner is now in Riyadh, it is open for the W.P.(C)No.20448 of 2014 2 petitioner to surrender his present passport and apply for a fresh passport. However the petitioner shall state the reason for mentioning wrong date of birth in the passport by way of an affidavit. The petitioner submits that he has already made Ext.P6 application. The petitioner shall approach the third respondent who shall on being satisfied with the genuineness of the claim of the petitioner, take appropriate action on Ext.P6 application filed by the petitioner. Needful shall be done within a period of two months from the date of surrender of the present passport along with an affidavit.
The writ petition is disposed of as above.
vpv Sd/-
A.MUHAMED MUSTAQUE JUDGE