IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH C.W.P NO. 18495 OF 2008 DECIDED ON : 05.02.2009 Harman Singh ...Petitioner versus Regional Passport Officer and anr. ...Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT Present : Mr. G. S. Sidhu, Advocate, for the petitioner. SURYA KANT, J. (ORAL) The petitioner is aggrieved at the order dated 26.05.2008 passed by the Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh, whereby he has been asked to furnish a Civil Court order/decree regarding change of his date of birth in the passport. The petitioner's case is that when he was 8 years old school student, his date of birth was wrongly mentioned as 06.07.1986 instead of 06.07.1985 while applying for the passport. According to the petitioner, his correct date of birth i.e 06.07.1985 is duly recorded in Matriculation Examination Certificate, Birth Certificate, School records and on inquiries held by the Naib Tehsildar, Koom Kalan, as well as, the Sub Divisional Magistrate (East) (Civil), Ludhiana also, his plea regarding date of birth has been found to be factually correct. It is urged that despite the recommendations made by the Sub Divisional Officer (Civil), the Regional Passport Officer has refused to C.W.P NO. 18495 OF 2008 -2- change the date of birth of the petitioner in the passport and is insisting for a Civil Court order/decree. Having heard learned counsel for the petitioner, I am of the considered view that no case to direct the Regional Passport Office to relax its parameters for changing the date of birth in the passport, is made out. However, keeping in view the fact that the petitioner is a student and requires the passport at the earliest to pursue his higher studies, it is directed that if the petitioner files a declaratory suit, the learned Civil Court shall take up the same on priority basis and dispose of the same, as early as possible and preferably within six months. If the Civil Court decrees the petitioner's suit, the Regional Passport Office is directed to act upon as per the same within a period of one month from the date it is produced. Disposed of. FEBRUARY 05, 2009 (SURYA KANT) shalini JUDGE