IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S.S.SATHEESACHANDRAN MONDAY, THE 28TH JUNE 2010 / 7TH ASHADHA 1932 WP(C).No. 23813 of 2009(S) -------------------------- OA.32/2008 of CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL,ERNAKULAM BENCH .................... PETITIONER(S): --------------- 1. UNION OF INDIA, REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, PATIALA HOUSE ANNEXE, TILAK MARG, NEW DELHI. 2. THE PASSPORT OFFICER, PASSPORT OFFICE, P.O.ERANHIPALAM, KOZHIKODE. 3. THE CHIEF PASSPORT OFFICER & JOINT SECRETARY (CPV), MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, PATIALA HOUSE ANNEXE, TILAK MARG, NEW DELHI. BY ADV. SRI.MVS.NAMBOOTHIRY RESPONDENT(S)/PETITIONERS IN THE O.A.: --------------- 1. K.P.PRABHAVATHY, W/O.RAMACHANDRAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT PASSPORT OFFICE QUARTERS, ROOM NO.5, P.O.ERANHIPALAM, CALICUT. 2. V.P.GIRISH, S/O.V.P.KORUKUTTY, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT VALIAPARAMBIL KSHB COLONY, P.O.MALAPARAMBA, CALICUT. 3. H.HEERABHAI, W/O.S.N.NAIK, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT H.NO.34/436, VIGNESH, MUTHUKUDIPARAMBA, P.O.CIVIL STATION, CALICUT. WP(C).23813/09 4. K.E.MURALEEDHARAN, S/O.CHATHUKURUP, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT AT B-20 PASSPORT OFFICE QUARTERS, POST ERANHIPALAM, KOZHIKODE. 5. M.SHYAMALA, W/O.K.P.SUNNY, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT KAIRALI, POST BEYPORE NORTH, CALICUT. 6. P.RAJAN, S/O.P.DHAMODARAN NAIR, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT CHAPPOOKANDY HOUSE, NANMINDA POST, KOZHIKODE. 7. N.P.VALSARAJAN, S/O.KANARAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, RESIDING AT A/2 POSSPORT OFFICE QUARTERS, POST ERANHIPALAM, KOZHIKODE. 8. P.RUGMINI, S/O.BABU.U, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT ABIRUCHI, POST KOLATHARA, KUNDAYITHODE, FEROKE, KOZHIKODE. 9. M.A.SNEHAPRABHA, W/O.UDAYAKUMAR, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT ADARSH, POST KARUVISSERI, KRISHNAN NAIR ROAD, KOZHIKODE. 10. M.SULAIKHA, W/O.K.PRAKASAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT KIDARAPARAMBA, POST KARAPARAMBA, KOZHIKODE. 11. P.SARADA, W/O.AYYAPPAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT ASHANIKETHAN, POST KOLAKKATTUCHALIL, CHELEMBRA, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT. 12. A.E.KANCHANALAKSHMI, W/O.K.V.BHAVANDAS, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT 34/411-A, CHAITHANYA, POST CIVIL STATION, CALICUT. 13. P.C.SOBHANAKUMARI, W/O.P.M.SIVASANKARAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT AYODHYA, POST CHELANNUR, KOZHIKODE. 14. T.G.RAJENDRAKUMAR, S/O.P.GANGADHARAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT 2/608, RAGAM, POST ERANHIPALAM, CALICUT. WP(C).23813/09 15. V.PANKAJAKUMARI, D/O.KRISHNAN NAMBIAR, B-1, PASSPORT OFFICE QUARTERS, RESIDENTIAL QUARTERS, POST ERANHIPALAM, CALICUT. 16. ALIENE PUSHPALATHA, W/O.JOHN BALAMITHRAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, 6/416, SHARON, POST NORTH BEYPORE, CALICUT. 17. V.MALATHI, W/O.E.N.GOPINATHAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, DEEPAM, ADUNAD, POST MAVOOR, CALICUT. 18. K.K.JALAJAKUMARI, S/O.BIJU.N.P., U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, B-12, PASSPORT OFFICE QUARTERS, P.O.ERANHIPALAM, KOZHIKODE. 19. A.SUDHEERA, W/O.ARAVIND BABU.M., U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, 39/10, ATHULYA, POST WEST HILL, CALICUT. 20. P.M.SHYAMALA, W/O.JAYADASAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, RESIDING AT SWATHI, VARIYAMVEEDPARAMBA, POST KOTTAMPARAMBA, KOZHIKODE-8. 21. K.P.SUGATHA, W/O.V.KARTHIKEYAN, U.D.CLERK, PASSPORT OFFICE, KOZHIKODE, YAVANIKA, POST KARUVANTHIRUTHY, KOZHIKODE. 22. P.DEVADAS, PANACHAMY, P.H.E.D. PUMP HOUSE ROAD, KAVUNNKAL, MALAPPURAM. 23. K.P.VISWARANJAN, S/O.K.P.KRISHNAN, KRISHNA SADANAM, THIRUTHIYAD, POST PUTHIYARA, CALICUT. 24. V.K.RADHA, W/O.E.VIJAYAN, HARINANDANAM, POST VENGERI, KOZHIKODE. 25. K.SMITHA, W/O.DEVADAS.P., PANCHAMY, PHED PUMP HOUSE ROAD, MALAPPURAM. ADV. SRI.K.SASIKUMAR FOR R1 TO 25 THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 28/06/2010 ALONG WITH WPC NO. 26263 OF 2009, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: WP(C).23813/09 APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS: EXT.P1: COPY OF THE O.A.NO.32/08 FILED BY THE RESPONDENTS. EXT.P2: COPY OF THE REPLY STATEMENT FILED BY THE PETITIONERS IN O.A.NO.32/08. EXT.P3: COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 15.1.2009 IN O.A.NO.32/08 OF CAT, ERNAKULAM BENCH. EXT.P4: COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 15.12.2008 IN W.P.(C).NO.36648/08 OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT. RESPONDENTS EXHIBITS: EXT.R1(A): COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 09.04.2008 IN W.P.(C).NO.8271/2007 OF THIS HON'BLE COURT. EXT.R1(B): COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 11.09.2009 IN S.L.P. (CIVIL) NO.29272/2008 OF THE HON'BLE SUPREME COURT. EXT.R1(C): COPY OF THE COMMUNICATION DATED 04.12.2009 FORWARDED FROM THE 1ST PETITIONER. /TRUE COPY/ P.A. TO JUDGE THOTTATHIL B. RADHAKRISHNAN & S.S.SATHEESACHANDRAN, JJ. ------------------------------- W.P.(C).NOS.23813 & 26263 OF 2009 () ----------------------------------- Dated this the 28th day of June, 2010 J U D G M E N T THOTTATHIL B. RADHAKRISHNAN, J. These writ petitions are filed by the establishment against a common order issued by the Central Administrative Tribunal in two original applications. The question mooted for consideration before the Tribunal stood covered in favour of the applicants by a bench decision of this Court in W.P.(C).No.8271 of 2007, whereby, an earlier decision issued by the Tribunal in the same line was upheld by this Court with reference to the decision of the Apex Court in U.P.State Electricity Board v. Pooran Chandra Pandey and Others ((2007) 11 SCC 92), in which, the decision of the Apex Court in Secretary, State of Karnataka and Others v. Umadevi and Others ((2006) 4 SCC 1) was also considered. Taking into consideration the decision of this Court in W.P.(C).No.8271 of 2007, which is W.P.(C).23813 & 26263/09 2 Ext.R1 (a) produced along with I.A.No.16348 of 2009 in W.P.(C). No.23813 of 2009, the claim of the applicants would necessarily sustain with reference to Article 14 of the Constitution of India and, therefore, there is no illegality or jurisdictional error in the impugned decision of the Tribunal. Accordingly, these writ petitions fail and the same are dismissed. THOTTATHIL B. RADHAKRISHNAN JUDGE S.S.SATHEESACHANDRAN JUDGE prp W.P.(C).23813 & 26263/09 3