The Gujarat Police has once again directed all police stations across the state not to ask passport applicants to visit police stations for verification, reminding officers to strictly follow the simplified passport verification process.Under the revised procedure, police only need to verify an applicant’s citizenship and check for any criminal record.
They are no longer required to verify the applicant’s residential address separately, obtain signatures, or meet applicants in person during the verification process.Police personnel may visit an applicant’s residence only in exceptional cases where further verification is necessary or something suspicious is found. Even in such situations, applicants must not be summoned to the police station.
State Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Singh Malik has instructed all police stations and officers to strictly implement these guidelines. He has also urged citizens to be aware of the simplified process and avoid unnecessary visits or confusion.Interestingly, this is not the first such directive.
In 2011, the then Gujarat Police chief had also issued a similar circular prohibiting police stations from calling passport applicants in person. The need for the order to be repeated has raised questions about whether the earlier instructions were being properly followed.