LS security breach: Joint secretary (security)'s post vacant for over a month

A preliminary inquiry has revealed that the post of joint secretary (security), who is the overall in-charge of security operations of Parliament Security, has been vacant for over a month.

The post fell vacant when Raghubir Lal, a 1997-batch IPS officer, was transferred to UP as additional director general law and order on November 2. Brijesh Singh, a director-level officer, has been filling in for a full-time joint secretary post. Joint security (security) heads the Parliament Security Service.

As per sources, preliminary inquiry has brought out a number of issues. The Parliament Security staff has pointed out that the number of visitor gallery passes issued after recommendation of MPs has increased. The staff has reportedly told the Speaker Office that there are times when a thorough check is difficult due to the volume of visitors being rushed in. A senior official told ET, "The sheer volume of people in the visitor's gallery has increased manifold. Sometimes staff of different MPs try to rush the visitors. If you try and frisk them thoroughly, we are told they are from the constituency. Everybody is everybody's relative. When such an incident happens, the easiest is to blame us."


The security staff has told that personal assistants of MPs are also creating nuisance and entry should be restricted. Sources said Speaker Om Birla is looking into the issue.