RTI Happenings: Karnataka: Man who dared to teach police the rule book

[karira]

As reported by S Kushala in epaper.timesofindia.com on 26 August 2011:
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Defau...&ViewMode=HTML

Man who dared to teach police the rule book

Despite three calls from cops, Anilkumar did not go to police station for address verification in connection with the renewal of his passport. Instead, he asked them to visit him because rules say a policeman must visit applicant’s house to verify the address

When M V K Anilkumar, a resident of Ashwini Layout, off Koramangala-Indiranagar ring road, got a call from the jurisdictional police to come to the station with documents for address verification for his passport renewal, he said “No.” He knew very well that as per rules, the police had to visit his house to verify his address.

When Anil told the police about the rule book, the answer was obviously rude: “Just come to the police station, you don’t have to teach us law.’’

The man did not relent, even after being called thrice to the Viveknagar police station. Even the police did not budge.

Today, armed with a copy of the police verification rules that he obtained through RTI from police department, Anil has not only been proved right, but also got his passport renewed “pending police verification.”

And not many would know the rule which says, “The applicant should not be called to the police station. The designated officer should personally visit the applicant at the address mentioned in the application and verify whether the applicant resides at the same address, whether the address is a residence, commercial complex or vacant land; and the duration of applicant’s stay.’’

On the contrary, majority of the passport/renewal applicants land up at the police station, with documents for verification and pay the “fixed Rs 300 to Rs 500.”

In January, Anil applied for the renewal of his passport. In May, the policemen called him for verification and after prolonged arguments over the rules, he filed an RTI application at the office of the deputy commissioner of police (PRO) for “copies of rules framed by the police department for completing the formalities of verification of passports at the jurisdictional police.’’ The application was transferred to assistant commissioner of police, city special cell (administration), who replied on August 9, along with the copy of the rules.

Anil told Bangalore Mirror, “The Viveknagar police called me thrice and each time, I told them the actual procedure. But they were unrelenting. In fact, a woman police official shouted at me, saying they know the rules and I needn’t teach them. I had heard from my friends how they were made to go to the police station with documents for the verification and also pay up’’.

Meanwhile, Anil’s passport was renewed “pending police verification.’’

The police, however, say the rush for verification is huge.

According to deputy commissioner of police, intelligence, V S D’Souza, the department receives around 800 to 900 passport applications every day for verification and it’s humanly impossible for the police personnel to visit everybody’s house. ``The police have policing work also and most of the stations will be short-staffed. When there is a huge rush for passport verifications, applicants are called to the police stations with documents. Passport verification is a tedious job that policemen have to do,’’ D’Souza said.

WHAT THE MANUAL SAYS
“On receipt of an application, it should be assessed whether the application falls in the category of post police verification or pre police verification. If so, Personal Particulars form should be issued the same day or next day positively, along with a copy of each of the documents submitted by the applicant, to SP/Commissioner of Police concerned. The time target for issue of passport is 30 days. Therefore, police verification applications be processed and put up separately to PIA and passport issued within this target period.”

[karira]

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As reported in bangaloremirror.com on 09 Sep 2011:
http://www.bangaloremirror.com/index...5381214257ab72

Verification for passport: Cops pay visit


Viveknagar police have finally visited M V K Anilkumar, a resident of Ashwini Layout, off Koramangala-Indiranagar ring road, to verify his address and other documents required for his passport. Bangalore Mirror had reported on the police insisting that Anil visit the station for the verification. The police had called him to the station thrice, but Anil refused to oblige, as it is against he rules. His stand was boldened by the reply from the police commissionerate to an RTI application on the rules. It said, “The applicant should not be called to the police station. The designated officer should personally visit the applicant at the address mentioned in the application for verification.”

“The Viveknagar police finally called me and said they are coming home to complete the police verification and then they visited me. I gave them copies of all the required documents after which the process was completed,” he said.