Bilal Bashir Bhat
Srinagar: The newly inaugurated Public Grievance Cell at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters in Srinagar received an enthusiastic response on its first day, with numerous people gathering to address long-standing issues related to passport processing delays.
Established with the intent of facilitating swifter complaint resolution and improving public service, the centre was particularly sought out by residents from districts outside of Srinagar, many of whom arrived hopeful for expedited verifications and procedural transparency.
In the freshly opened around 50-seater hall, officers, including Deputy Superintendent of Police Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, listened attentively to grievances, ranging from delayed verifications to challenges in securing accurate and timely updates on application statuses.
For many of those present, especially students, prolonged passport delays have hampered their academic and professional goals. Officers at the center showed commitment to addressing these concerns, explaining procedural nuances and exploring avenues for expediting document processing.
“The CID Grievance Cell’s initiative underscores a commitment to better service and accessible communication for all citizens of Jammu and Kashmir,” said a student from Anantnag, while talking with Onlykashmir.in summarizing the general sentiment among attendees.
Challenges of ‘Peter Punished for Paul’
The Special Branch (CID-SB) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which handles background verifications, has issued a directive to ensure that applicants for government jobs or passports have no involvement in activities that might pose risks to national security. CID verification processes particularly scrutinize any record of involvement in law violations, including stone-pelting or activities deemed prejudicial to state security. This cautious approach, while important for security, has unintentionally delayed applications for countless individuals.
Applicants are frequently denied clearance if family members are linked to past militancy or civil offenses.
Saima (name changed), for example, applied for a passport shortly after her marriage but has been denied for two years because her husband was named in an FIR ten years ago. Ironically, her husband already holds a passport and has travelled abroad, a situation that highlights procedural inconsistencies impacting hundreds of other cases.
Voices across the political landscape, including Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, have raised concerns over the verification process. Congratulating Omar Abdullah on his appointment as Chief Minister, Mehdi stated that “the existing verification process is overly harsh and often penalizes individuals for actions they did not commit. This procedure should be reconsidered to ensure they are fair and just for all applicants.”
Smooth Service at the Passport Office
The appointment of Davinder Kumar as Regional Passport Officer in Srinagar in December 2022 has already resulted in significant improvements in the issuance process, reducing backlogs to minimal levels. Notably, Kumar has established an Aadhaar center within the waiting area at the Seva Kendra, reflecting efforts to streamline identification processes alongside passport services.
Inaugurated on October 28, the CID’s Public Grievance Cell aims to facilitate prompt resolution of issues such as delayed verifications, inadequate response times, and procedural inquiries. ADGP, CID J&K, Nitish Kumar, emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing the interaction between the public and police, stating, “The LG had said that we have to improve the interface between the public and police. People’s grievances should be redressed timely… We have formalized the entire process. A grievance cell here will be matched by a similar cell in Jammu.”
Citizens can now schedule appointments with the Grievance Cell through WhatsApp at 9906126468, by emailing grievance-cidjk@jkp.gov.in, or by calling 0194-2459935. With this new avenue for redressal.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir hope the CID’s dedicated efforts will create a more streamlined and transparent passport verification process, making bureaucratic hurdles a thing of the past.
