"Widespread corruption": Allahabad HC orders FIR against UP man seeking to change birth date from 1994 to 2005

The Allahabad High Court recently ordered the Prayagraj police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against a litigant who sought to change the date of birth (DOB) in his passport from 1994 to 2005 on the basis of forged documents [Shiv Shankar Pal v. Union of India and 2 Others].

The Division Bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anish Kumar Gupta noted that a school certificate and Aadhaar card presented by the petitioner before the passport authorities reflected his DOB to be July 11, 1994. However, a subsequent Aadhaar card showed his DOB to be July 11, 2005.

The Court remarked that if his claim were accepted, then it would mean that he had taken his high school examination at about six years of age. It observed that this extent of fabrication was a result of widespread corruption.

“The present state of affairs is shocking. The petitioner has also filed a birth certificate issued by the Gram Panchayat on 04.11.2025 issued by the Gram Panchayat, Prayagraj showing the petitioner's date of birth as 11.07.2005. The extent of fabrication of documents, which is directly the result of widespread corruption is disturbing,” the Court said.

The petitioner Shiv Shankar Pal had been issued a passport in 2022 and now wanted to change his date of birth from July 11, 1994 to July 11, 2005.

Since the passport authorities did not act on his request, he moved the Court.

Taking note of the lack of bona fides, and the apparent manipulations in the record, the Court felt it essential to direct the Commissioner of Police at Prayagraj to register an FIR for cheating and forgery of documents against the petitioner, and also against the relevant officials of the Gram Panchayat. 

The Court will hear the case next on January 27, when it will examine whether the police have complied with its directive.

“Put up this on 27.01.2026 as fresh on top of the list at 10:00 A.M. to confirm that the operative portion of this order, which is the direction to the worthy Commissioner of the Prayagraj, has been complied with, failing which this Court shall proceed against the Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj,” the Court said.

Advocates Mohd. Salim Khan, Umakant Kushwaha, Ved Ratan represented the petitioner.

Deputy Solicitor General of India Dinesh Kumar Misra represented the Union of India.

[Read Order]