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Journalism of Courage
The two intruders behind the security breach in Parliament on Wednesday, on the 22nd anniversary of a terror attack on the House, were present in the Lok Sabha via a visitors’ pass, issued to them on the request of BJP Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha.
The entry of visitors in the House has now been suspended, though there is no official communication to this effect.
Rules of the House mandate security staff in the visitors’ gallery to maintain a strict vigil and ensure that the visitors do not indulge in any misbehaviour, with jumping into the chamber of the House of course out of the question.
The Opposition has demanded action against Simha following Wednesday’s incident.
Visitors’ (“strangers” in parliamentary parlance) “admission, withdrawal and removal” is governed by Rule 386 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha, which states that “the admission of strangers during the sittings of the House to those portions of the House which are not reserved for the exclusive use of members shall be regulated in accordance with orders made by the Speaker”.
Rule 387 gives the Speaker the power to withdraw “strangers” from any part of the House if he/she deems it fit.
According to the “Practice and Procedure of Parliament” by M N Kaul and S L Shakdher, “a member can apply for the issue of visitors’ cards only for those who are very well known to them personally”.
Members applying for a visitor card are also mandated to provide a certificate which states, “The above named visitor is my relative/personal friend/known to me personally and I take full responsibility for him/her.” Keeping security concerns in mind, visitors are also mandated to carry a photo identification.
According to the rules, the names of visitors are required to be given in full and not with initials. “The father’s/husband’s name of a visitor should also invariable be given in full and requests for admission cards to the public gallery should be delivered in the Centralised Pass Issue Cell (CPIC), preferable by 1600 hours on the working day previous to the date for which the cards are required,” the rule states.
The visitors’ cards are usually issued to a member for a particular day for fixed hours. However, in exceptional cases, the rules permit the issue of two cards.
There is also a provision which allows members to apply for a visitor card on the same day in emergent cases when it is not possible for them to apply within the prescribed time limit. “In such a case, subject to accommodation being available, a card is issued from CPIC to a member on the following conditions: (i) Not more than four ‘Same-day’ Visitor’s Cards are issued to a member for a particular day. (ii) The card is required to be collected by the member personally. (iii) The specific hour for which the card is valid is indicated on the card. (iv) Cards are made available for use at least two hours after the time of receipt of application…”.
There are two types of galleries – public and Speaker’s – in Lok Sabha. While a member can facilitate the entry of four people on a daily basis in the public gallery, he/she is entitled to facilitate the entry of two people in the Speaker’s gallery. The names of the visitors for the Speaker’s gallery need to be vetted by the Speaker.
The rules also do not allow members to press for the entry of their guests prior to the time indicated in the card.
Similar rules are in force for visitor entry into the Rajya Sabha. For the Upper House, visitor card applications for entry into the public gallery are required to be made by 3 pm on the working day previous to the date on which the cards are required. Printed forms for the same are available for members in the notice office.
Under the regulations, a member can apply for a visitor’s card for a person who is known to him personally or in select cases for those who have been introduced to the member by a person who is personally known to him. “It is in the latter class of cases that members are to exercise utmost care,” the rules state.
The guidelines also advise members to bear in mind that they are responsible for any untoward incident or undesirable thing happening in the galleries as a result of anything done by holders of cards issued at the request of such members. “Cards for admission to the visitors’ galleries are ordinarily issued for a single sitting and are available only for that sitting,” the guidelines state.
“A card is ordinarily issued only for a period of one hour. These cards are not transferable and are issued subject to the holder observing the conditions endorsed thereon,” the rules state.
Regular bulletins issued by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats inform members of the security procedures to be undertaken for entry of visitors.
According to guidelines, the Parliament security staff posted at the public gallery checking post will ensure that all visitors are searched/frisked through Door Frame Metal Detector/Hand Held Metal Detector (DFMD/HHMD).
The security staff is mandated to carefully check the visitor card and cross check it with the approved list in their possession.
“The Parliament security staff inside the public gallery will maintain a very close vigil on the visitors and ensure that they maintain silence and do not indulge in any kind of mischief or disturbance like shouting of slogan/attempting to throw leaflets/pamphlets or any other objectionable item or attempt to jump into the Chamber. Supervisor in the Gallery will take care of the seating arrangements of the visitors and the Security Assistants deputed in the Gallery will help visitors get acquainted with the use of headphones i.e., volume control and channels selector provided in the gallery,” the guidelines state.
