The major security breach during Zero Hour in Parliament on Wednesday can bring in massive troubles for the two men who carried smoke canisters and ran into the Lok Sabha chamber. Even as sources say that they were protesting against price rise and unemployment, the intruders can booked for sedition, which is a non-bailable offence.
A report by News18 Hindi quoted senior advocate of Delhi high court, KK Manan, as saying that the men can be booked for treason because such acts inside the Parliament can be considered against the country. There is also a provision for life imprisonment under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, he added.
The report further stated that no person can enter the Parliament complex without a valid entry card. Whoever goes inside the Parliament, and if he is not an MP, his entry card is made separately. This rule is also applicable to any government official.
The report states that the security around Parliament was increased by manifolds after the Parliament attack on December 13, 2001. It is said that if someone wants to barge into Parliament with a heavy vehicle, it’s not possible. To enter the premises, one has to go through several levels of security checks.
The easiest method, and almost the only way, for a common man to enter Parliament complex is to obtain a permission letter from an MP.
Any common man who wants to enter the Parliament complex has to obtain a letter on the prescribed proforma from any MP known to him. That person has to go to the reception of Parliament House with MP’s letter. On the basis of Aadhaar or similar identity card of the visitor, the security department gives him/her an entry card to go to a certain place in the campus.
The security personnel frisks the visitor very carefully. Then through the designated gates, the person is allowed to go to the area for which he/she has been given the admit card.
The agencies involved in the security of Parliament keep a constant vigil, and also keep frisking people. However, most visitors have to stay at one place only. If there is an entry card for the visitors’ gallery to watch the proceedings of Parliament, then they are allowed to enter or exit the gallery only after forming a queue.
There are very few people who are allowed to go to ministers’ chambers. However, this permission is granted by the minister only, which is given by the private secretaries of the ministers.
Such people can roam around the campus. There are many security personnel called ‘marshals’ at the entrance gate and assembly hall of Parliament. In such a situation, even if someone wants to, he/she cannot go very far inside the House. He/she will definitely be stopped.
As seen in Wednesday’s case too, ‘marshals’ became active immediately. Entry of anyone other than MPs into the House is considered equivalent to contempt of the House.
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