Passport verification: Now, applicants will receive SMS before police visit

Bathinda, April 19

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Following clear instructions from the Police Headquarters in Chandigarh, residents of Bathinda applying for their passports, have started receiving SMSes from Suwidha Kendras informing them the exact date and time according to applicants’ convenience, when the police would come to their residences for carrying out the process of verification.

The development is seen as an important facility to save residents from waiting indefinitely for an uncertain visit by police officials for clearing their papers before a formal stamp for their passports.

Confirming the development, DIG (Bathinda range), Manish Chawla, said: “We have commenced the service also in neighbouring Mansa and Muktsar districts as part of the ‘SMS Verification’ facility launched by the DGP at the state level. Feedback reports give satisfactory results.’

Under the new system, the ‘Saanjh Kendra’ of the Police will inform the applicant, on mobile phone, that the office had received the file for address and character verification within seven days. This will be followed by an SMS that the police team will be coming on a particular day and also at a specific time for carrying out its verification exercise.

The time will be set according to convenience of the applicant. Applicants will have to pay a fee of Rs 100. Importantly, the applicant will also be informed whether his verification had been cleared, later and a report sent o the Headquarters.

A police official said, “In case, a verification was not cleared, the applicant could approach the concerned SP (Headquarters) of the district police and seek a review of his case.

Missing certificate for vehicles

DIG Chawla said in case any vehicle was not traced by police within 45 days of filing a report, the complainant will be issued a ‘Missing’ Certificate. This had been done in the direction of saving public inconvenience to citizens who had applied for their insurance amount and were suffering due to official delay in getting a ‘missing’ report.

In another development, a number of services like getting copies of police reports (DDRs and FIRs) had been time bound too as also addressing complaints of NRIs.