Mumbai passport office asks unwed mom to name biological father of her child

Mumbai, Nov 11: Despite the Ministry of External Affairs order that unmarried mothers will not have to name the biological father of their child in passport applications, the passport authorities in Mumbai have asked a woman to name her daughter's biological father.

The child has filed a PIL in Bombay High Court through her mother regarding the same. In her PIL, the petitioner has said that the assistant regional passport officer in Mumbai insisted that her biological father's name must be mentioned.

She also demanded that the passport office should be directed to process her application by mentioning her stepfather's name and to issue her a passport.

In her petition, child's mother said that she worked in a city club to support her family. At the club, she came in contact with a man who lured her into a relationship by promising marriage. The child was born on November 19, 2010, but when she insisted on marriage, the man broke the relationship. After some time, she came to know about the fact that the man was already married and had a child.

During the hearing on the petition, the passport office told the Bombay High Court that she has to name the biological father of her child.

Meanwhile, the court has scheduled another hearing in the case next week.

The ministry of external affairs had clarified on November 1 that an unwed mother need not disclose the name her child's father. The Ministry said that an unwed mother only needed to produce a birth certificate and give an affidavit declaring that the she was the mother of the child passport applicant.

OneIndia News