Police to visit homes of passport applicants with body-worn cameras

BENGALURU:The Director General and Inspector General of Police has issued new guidelines for passport verification, emphasizing transparency and efficiency.

Accordingly, city police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh has instructed that police officers must wear body-worn cameras during verification visits. Applicants should not be called to police stations and instead, officers must visit their addresses. Officers must inform applicants at least 24 hours prior to the visit and no bribes or favours should be expected or accepted.

Passport applicants should not be unnecessarily delayed or harassed and adverse reports should be supported by clear evidence. Officers must submit weekly reports to ensure compliance with these guidelines. Non-compliance will result in disciplinary action, the guidelines say.