(a) whether the Government have recently taken any decision to do away with the compulsion of police enquiry in renewal of passport in those cases where the residential address of the passport holder has not changed.
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the time by which the said decision is likely to be made effective?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)
(a),(b)&(c) The Government of India, based on the recommendations of a Committee set up to review Passport Issuing System in 2001, issued instructions exempting the following categories of applicants from police verification:
(i) All re-issue/renewal cases within the same jurisdiction, except applicants from J&K.
(ii) Minors, if either of parents is holding a valid Indian Passport, except in case of applicants from J&K where age limit for exemption from police verification is upto 10 years.
(iii) Senior citizens, if any one of their adult children is holding a valid passport.
(iv) Government servants who submit proper No Objection Certificate from their respective authorities.