Passport applicants in Maharashtra are facing confusion over the requirement of a birth certificate for police verification, despite the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rules accepting voter ID as a valid proof of date of birth. A recent incident at Mira Road Police Station has highlighted this issue, leaving a passport applicant with a pending application and a RPO appointment scheduled for November.
Context
The applicant, who wishes to remain anonymous, applied for a fresh passport and completed the police verification process smoothly until they reached the Mira Road Police Station. However, when they presented their voter ID as a proof of date of birth, the police officer insisted that a birth certificate was mandatory, despite the MEA rules stating otherwise. The applicant was left feeling humiliated and unsure about the credibility of the MEA portal in this context.
Response
When asked about the incident, the applicant expressed frustration and sought help from the authorities. They wanted to know if they could raise a complaint against the police officer and also write to the RPO head office or MEA explaining the whole scenario with their document proofs to avoid the RPO appointment later in the month. The applicant also inquired about the authorities they could tag on Twitter to raise awareness about the issue.
“I want to understand if I can raise a complaint against the police officer and also write to the RPO head office or MEA explaining the whole scenario with my document proofs to maybe avoid the RPO appointment later in the month,” said the applicant.
Key Highlights
- Passport applicant faces confusion over birth certificate requirement at Mira Road Police Station.
- MEA rules accept voter ID as a valid proof of date of birth, but police officer insists on birth certificate.
- Applicant’s application is pending and has a RPO appointment scheduled for November.
Next Steps
The applicant’s situation highlights the need for clarification on the requirements for police verification. The authorities should take steps to ensure that passport applicants are aware of the necessary documents and procedures. In the meantime, the applicant is waiting for a response from the authorities and hopes to avoid the RPO appointment later in the month.