Pay Compensation To The Passport Holder

The Coimbatore District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered the Regional Passport Office, Chennai, to pay compensation to a passport holder for the delay in verification of genuineness that resulted in he losing his job.The order was passed by forum presided over by S.A. Sreeramulu, and consisting of members P. Mathavi and K. Rathinam. According to petitioner Thomas Wilson, employed in Dubai, his passport and visa documents were seized by an Inspector of Airport Immigration Unit on November 6, 2006 when he came to Coimbatore for verification. They were forwarded to the Regional Passport Office for verification. Mr. Wilson said that he could not join duty on time because of this.

It resulted in he incurring a loss of Rs. 1.5 lakhs besides salary amounting to Rs. 27.92 lakhs for 10 years. He lost his employment too. After nine months, the passport office responded stating that everything was in order regarding the travel documents of the complainant. The Inspector contended that the complainant was frivolous and unsustainable both in law and on facts. He justified his action by stating that according to section 14 of the Passports Act 1967, he was entitled to search any place and seize any passport or travel document from any person against whom a reasonable suspicion existed.

The UV light examination failed to give a clean chit to the complainant’s passport and travel documents, hence it was seized and sent to the Passport Office for verification. The complainant was asked to collect the same from Passport Office after a week. The forum concluded that there was no deficiency in service on the part of the Inspector. The Regional Passport Office had taken 9 months to verify the documents despite the complainant paying the required fee. There was an inordinate and unexplained delay. Even after receiving notice, the Passport Office had not given any reply to the complainant or appeared before the forum.

It did not file any written version till the disposal of the case. Hence it was sufficient to presume that the charges had been accepted. This amounted to deficiency in service and the complainant was entitled to get reasonable compensation. The complainant had claimed 9 lakhs as compensation for his loss of job and service for 10 years, Rs. 80,000 towards mental agony and Rs. 20,000 towards litigation expenditure and cost. The forum has got powers to award compensation only for deficiency in service. It ordered the Regional Passport Office to pay Rs. 80,000 and Rs. 1,000 towards cost within one month. Failing which the complainant was at liberty to execute this order.

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