LCI Learning

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on LinkedIn

Share on Email

Share More


(Guest)

Whether it is mandatory to disclose name of father while see

Whether it is mandatory to disclose name of father while seeking passport?

 
The Supreme Court in ABC Vs. State (NCT of Delhi), AIR 2015 SC 2569 has held that it is not imperative for an unwed mother to specifically notify the putative father of the child whom she has given birth to of her petition for appointment as the guardian of her child. The Supreme Court in the said judgment has held as under:-

"9. ..............In situations such this, where the father has not exhibited any concern for his offspring, giving him legal recognition would be an exercise in futility. In today's society, where women are increasingly choosing to raise their children alone, we see no purpose in imposing an unwilling and unconcerned father on an otherwise viable family nucleus. It seems to us that a man who has chosen to forsake his duties and responsibilities is not a necessary constituent for the wellbeing of the child...........

xxx xxx xxx

11. ..........Any responsible man would keep track of his offspring and be concerned for the welfare of the child he has brought into the world; this does not appear to be so in the present case, on a perusal of the pleading as they presently portray........

12. We recognize that the father's right to be involved in his child's life may be taken away if Section 11 is read in such a manner that he is not given notice, but given his lack of involvement in the child's life, we find no reason to prioritize his rights over those of the mother or her child........

13. ..........the welfare of the child would be undermined if the Appellant is not compelled to disclose the identity of the father, or that Court notice is mandatory in the child's interest. On the contrary, we find that this may well protect the child from social stigma and needless controversy.

xxx xxx xxx

15. .........The views of an uninvolved father are not essential, in our opinion, to protect the interests of a child born out of wedlock and being raised solely by his/her mother....... The sole factor for consideration before us, therefore, is the welfare of the minor child, regardless of the rights of the parents..........

xxx xxx xxx

18. .........The provisions of the Convention which we have extracted indeed reiterate the settled legal position that the welfare of the child is of paramount consideration vis a vis the perceived rights of parents not only so far as the law in India is concerned, but preponderantly in all jurisdictions across the globe........"

(emphasis supplied)

18. The Supreme Court in the case of ABC (supra) also quoted with approval the Convention on the Rights of the Child in particular its Article 12 which reads as under:-

"1. States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.

2. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law."

(emphasis supplied)

19. This Court also takes judicial notice of the fact that families of single parents are on the increase due to various reasons like unwed mothers, s*x workers, surrogate mothers, rape survivors, children abandoned by father and also children born through IVF technology.

20. Consequently, this Court is of the view that mother's name is sufficient in certain cases like the present one to apply for Passport, especially as a single woman can be a natural guardian and also a parent.
21. This Court further finds merit in the submission of the petitioners that if the respondents direction to petitioner No.2 to mention her father's name is not quashed, it would compel the petitioner No.2 to alter not only her name, but also her identity that she had been using since her birth i.e. daughter of petitioner No.1 rather than her biological father who had abandoned her at the time of her birth.
22. As regards the contention of the respondents that the computer does not accept the application form without the name of the father being filled up, this Court was informed by the learned Amicus Curiae that the online Passport application as updated on 29th January, 2016 provides that in the column of Family Details, only one detail out of the details of Father/Mother/Legal Guardian, is mandatory and required to be filled.
23. In any case, technology is intended to ease and facilitate transactions and cannot be the basis for creating and defeating anybody's legal rights. If the only impediment, in way of granting the relief sought by the petitioners, is the software, the same ought to be suitably modified to accept the application of the petitioner No.2, if she is otherwise entitled for re-issuance of the Passport.
24. The fact that the respondents had on previous two occasions, in the year 2005 and 2011 issued Passport to petitioner No.2, without insisting on father's name, makes it evident that the said requirement is not a legal necessity, but only a procedural formality, which cannot be the basis of rejecting the petitioner No. 2's case. Consequently, it appears that legally and factually there is no impediment in issuing the Passport to the petitioner No.2, without mentioning her father's name.
25. Accordingly, the respondents are directed to modify their software and accept petitioner No.2's application and issue her a Passport without insisting upon mentioning her father's name. With the aforesaid direction, present petition and application stand disposed of.
Delhi High Court
Shalu Nigam & Anr vs The Regional Passport Officer & ... on 17 May, 2016
W.P.(C) 155/2016 & CM APPLs. 684-685/2016
CORAM:HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANMOHAN


Learning

 0 Replies


Leave a reply

Your are not logged in . Please login to post replies

Click here to Login / Register