In a proactive move to bolster security at the Parliament complex, a contingent of 140 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel has been deployed, according to official sources. The decision comes in the aftermath of a security breach on December 13, 2023, when individuals entered the Parliament hall, disrupting proceedings by releasing coloured smoke canisters.
The Union Home Ministry sanctioned the deployment following a comprehensive security review of the facility. The CISF personnel, led by an Assistant Commandant, assumed their duties on Monday, taking charge of frisking visitors and their belongings, as well as providing fire safety coverage to the building.
The deployment is part of a broader strategy to enhance security measures at the Parliament complex, with the CISF unit working in collaboration with existing security agencies. Their primary responsibility will be to ensure a secure environment when the Budget Session commences on January 31, 2024.
The CISF will employ airport-security protocols for access control to the new Parliament building, utilizing x-ray machines, hand-held detectors, and tray scanning for items such as shoes, heavy jackets, and belts. The force is also seeking permanent sanctioning of the 140 personnel dedicated to Parliament security, with plans to integrate them into the Government Building Security (GBS) unit of the CISF.
A senior officer stated, “The current unit deployed at the Parliament will be regularized under the Government Building Security (GBS) unit of the CISF, which secures various government ministries and headquarters of probe agencies like the CBI and the ED.”
The CISF, a central armed police force under the Union Home Ministry, currently comprises approximately 1.70 lakh personnel. Beyond its new responsibilities at the Parliament complex, the CISF guards 68 civil airports across the country and secures vital installations in the aerospace and nuclear energy domains. Sources suggest that the force has formally requested the Home Ministry’s approval for the permanent deployment of the 140 personnel dedicated to Parliament security.
