VIJAYAWADA: The state police department has been honoured with the prestigious Institutional Performance Award for State Police for achieving the best performance in passport application police verification across the country.
The award was presented by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar during the Passport Seva Divas 2026 celebrations held at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi from June 17 to 19.
On behalf of Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta, Intelligence SP Ramadevi received the award. Notably, the Andhra Pradesh Police secured the national recognition for the second consecutive year under the leadership of the DGP.
The Ministry of External Affairs selected the awardees after reviewing the performance of State Police departments in passport verification services nationwide. Andhra Pradesh Police completed verification of 6,32,931 passport applications during 2025-26, ensuring timely processing, speedy clearances and transparent public services.
DGP Harish Kumar Gupta attributed the achievement to the government’s citizen-centric policies under the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. He said the department has streamlined passport verification through the use of modern technology, effective monitoring and close coordination among district police units. He said the State police had also received the same award in 2024-25, making this the second consecutive year of national recognition. He credited Additional DGwP (Intelligence) Mahesh Chandra Laddha, district Superintendents of Police, city police commissioners, Special Branch officers and staff for achieving the distinction.