NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, APR 13
The Regional Passport Office Chennai has announced that its offices, along with the Ministry of External Affairs Branch Secretariat in Chennai, will remain closed on April 14 and April 23, 2026.
- Regional Passport Office and MEA Secretariat to remain closed on April 14 & 23
- Ambedkar Jayanthi and Tamil Nadu polling day prompt official shutdown
- ‘Meet & Chat Your RPO’ programme on April 14 stands cancelled
- Applicants advised to plan visits in advance and avoid inconvenience
- Services to resume on next working day after each closure
- Public interaction sessions to restart from next scheduled Tuesday
The closure on April 14 is in observance of Ambedkar Jayanti, as per Government of India orders, while the shutdown on April 23 is in compliance with directives of the Election Commission of India due to the Tamil Nadu Assembly Election polling day.
Applicants have been advised to take note of these dates and plan their visits accordingly. All passport-related services will resume as usual on the next working day following each closure.
— RPO Chennai (@rpochennai) April 13, 2026
In a related development, the RPO has also cancelled its weekly public outreach initiatives—‘Meet Your RPO’ and ‘Chat Your RPO’—scheduled between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm on April 14.
The cancellation aligns with the declared holiday for Ambedkar Jayanti. Authorities have clarified that these interactive sessions will resume as per schedule from the following Tuesday.
Officials reiterated that such measures are part of compliance with national observances and election-related protocols, ensuring smooth administrative functioning.
