THE HON’BLE Ms. JUSTICE G. ROHINI WRIT PETITION No.19104 OF 2006 ORDER: The petitioner was issued a passport bearing No.A-3599042 on 1-8-1997. However, in the said passport his date of birth was wrongly mentioned as 17-4-1974 instead of 14-7-1979. Aggrieved by the action of the respondent in not considering the request of the petitioner for correction of date of birth, the petitioner filed W.P.No.26870 of 2005. The said writ petition was disposed of by this Court with a direction to the respondent therein to consider the application of the petitioner for correction of date of birth on the basis of the Secondary School Certificate issued by the Board of Secondary Education, A.P., Hyderabad. Pursuant thereto, the respondent passed the impugned order dated 21-4-2006 informing the petitioner that he has to apply for correction of date of birth on the basis of the decree from a Civil Court. The said order is questioned by the petitioner contending inter alia that the said order is contrary to the Circular of Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, dated 18-4-2001 whereunder the respondent authorities are competent to correct technical errors. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner. It is to be noted that the Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, issued circular dated 18.04.2001, which reads as under: (a) Where an applicant is seeking rectification/Correction of a mistake in the entry of date of birth/place of birth in the passport, PIA (Passport Issuing Authority) may after verifying/satisfying himself, after the correction treating the same as a technical correction. There is no need for a declaratory order in such cases. (b) Where a competent authority issuing a birth certificate or an educational board registering a date of birth along with place of birth as valid were to issue any correction or amendment, PIA may effect the necessary amendment in the passport without insisting on a Court Order. As per the provisions of Section 21 of the General clauses Act, 1997, a competent authority issuing a certificate could also make necessary amendments to the same. (c) Where the initial entry has been made on the basis of a supportive document issued by one competent authority and the applicant subsequently requests for a change on the basis of a certificate issued by another competent authority i.e., municipal authorities resulting in conflicting sources of valid proof, the PIA should direct the applicant to obtain a civil order from a competent Court of jurisdiction, certifying the valid date of birth/place of birth.” Having considered the above circular, this Court in Ali Imran v. Regional Passport Officer, Secunderabad [1] held that as per the circular dated 18.04.2001, it is permissible to accept the applications for rectification/correction of the entries in the passport. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the correction of date of birth of the petitioner was only a technical correction, and therefore, it falls under clause (a) of the circular. In support of his submission the learned counsel relied upon the decision in Asra Begum v. Regional Passport Officer, Secunderabad [2]. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case and following the decision of this Court in Ali Imran’s case (1 supra), the writ petition is disposed of granting liberty to the petitioner to make a fresh application with relevant material to substantiate his correct date of birth, within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, and if any such application is made, the respondent is directed to receive and consider the same in accordance with the circular dated 18.04.2001 and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law and communicate the same to the petitioner within a period of four weeks thereafter. The writ petition is accordingly, disposed of. No costs. ______________ (G. ROHINI, J.) 3rd November, 2006. gbs THE HON’BLE Ms. JUSTICE G. ROHINI WRIT PETITION No.19104 OF 2006 3rd November, 2006 Between: Abdul Javeed .. Petitioner. And The Regional Passport Officer, Passport Office, Near Clock Tower, having Office at Secunderabad. . .. Respondent [1] 2003(3) ALD 625; [2] 2004(6) ALD 360.