Security provided by Punjab under High Court lens

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21

The security provided by the State of Punjab to its protectees, including the ones not holding public offices, has come under judicial scanner.

Taking up a petition filed by Punjab’s former Deputy Speaker seeking security cover, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has called for a list of protectees.

“Let this court also be informed about the number of persons who have been provided security beyond the State Security Policy-2013, along with list of those persons who have been allowed security, but are not holding any public office, other than any security provided to the judicial officers,” Justice Jaishree Thakur of the High Court has asserted.

The list is to be furnished by the last week of October, when the case comes up for further hearing. The direction came during the resumed hearing of a petition filed against the state and other respondents by Bir Devinder Singh through counsel Rajvinder Singh Bains.

At the onset, Bir Devinder Singh filed a rejoinder giving details of certain former MLAs provided security cover. The rejoinder was filed in an attempt to falsify the stand taken by the respondent-State that the petitioner was not entitled to security cover as a former MLA in accordance with the State Security Policy-2013.

Bains had earlier told the court the petitioner’s security cover was withdrawn unilaterally vide impugned order dated June 23, despite having been provided more than adequate security since 2018.

Claiming that he was not having any security personnel with him as of now, Bains had submitted former MLAs had been provided a minimum of two security personnel, which the petitioner would be entitled to in addition to other security personnel.

Justice Thakur on a previous date of hearing had directed that the petitioner would be entitled to two personal security officers “given the fact that ex-MLAs have been allowed the same”.

Ex-Dy Speaker’s plea

• High Court direction came on a plea filed by ex-Dy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh against Punjab and other respondents
• He claimed certain former MLAs had been provided security cover, which falsified stand taken by Punjab
• State had claimed he was not entitled to security cover as a former MLA as per the State Security Policy-2013