Passport Authorities Have No Power To Impose Penalties : Kerala HC [Read Judgment]

The High Court of Kerala has held that passport authorities have no power to impose penalties under Section 12 of the Passport Act, 1967, for violation of the provisions of the Act.Holding thus, a division bench comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly set aside the penalty list framed u/s 12 prescribed in schedule III of Passport Rules, 1980 as well as. The High Court of Kerala has held that passport authorities have no power to impose penalties under Section 12 of the Passport Act, 1967, for violation of the provisions of the Act. Holding thus, a division bench comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly set aside the penalty list framed u/s 12 prescribed in schedule III of Passport Rules, 1980 as well as Office Memorandums regarding table of penalties framed u/s 12. The Court noted that the Ministry of Law and Justice had advised against filing appeal against the judgment of Delhi HC, and had suggested that the Passports Act be amended instead to incorporate powers to passport authorities to impose penalties.