While applying for passports, though with the online procedure the process has been smooth generally but it has left some loop holes with regards to the address of the applicants.
In the current procedure, an applicant is required to post his/her residential addresses for a period of last one year. The Police Verification takes place at all the residences. While the actual procedure for Police Verification is that Police Officer has to visit the applicants home and make a report, which in most cases happens otherwise, the applicant visits Police Station and then report is made.
Now the problem here is:
An applicant, in case of young student bachelors/working professionals, generally do not have occupancy at their rented apartments. There is a loop hole here where most people would post their permanent address seeking verification, passport delivery at that address where her/his family resides permanently. The choice of address for passport delivery, according to me, shall be left to the applicant.
The authorities can collect data and very well get verified from Police Station nearby jurisdiction. But then subjecting applicants to getting proof of residency makes this cumbersome and unnecessary, rather paving a way for passport office to issue show cause notice and ask for penalties.
Now I see over a hundred applicants daily visiting to RPO's for responding to show cause notice, which mostly is due to this address issue.
The possible solution:
The authorities shall allow only one address and where all proofs of residence exist.
They can also make aadhar as one prime document which can trace all the details of the person, from his/her residence. Very unfortunate that India still does not have unified system of tracking and maintaining individuals database of its own citizens.
The purpose of each stage is clear and that is not questioned here. Police verification is absolutely essential but leveraging technology and other forms of media can make this process simpler.
Can some one share their views and explain.
