Police Must Complete Passport Verification Within Four Weeks: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court directed that police verification for passport applications must be completed within four weeks, emphasising that undue delay violates the fundamental right to travel.

A Bench of Justices Ajit Kumar and Swarupama Chaturvedi noted that the Court is “flooded” with pleas arising from stalled verifications and held that timely processing is essential for administrative fairness.

The Court further directed that applicants facing pending criminal proceedings must obtain necessary no-objection certificates before applying, and passport authorities must inform applicants within one month if their applications cannot be processed. The directions aim to streamline verification and safeguard citizens’ mobility rights.

[Rahimuddin v Union of India & Anr]