HC tells Punjab govt to make interim security arrangements for protectees

The high court on Friday asked the Punjab government to provide one securityman to each of the protectees who were left without any security cover after it was withdrawn earlier this year

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday asked the Punjab government to provide one securityman to each of the protectees who were left without any security cover after it was withdrawn earlier this year.

This order on temporary security cover would remain in force till the next date of hearing, multiple lawyers associated with the case confirmed. (Getty Images/Purestock)

The high court bench of justice Raj Mohan Singh issued these interim directions in view of the state government seeking more time to file replies to a clutch of petitions filed by those whose security cover was curtailed or completely withdrawn. The petitions will be taken up again on July 29.

This order on temporary security cover would remain in force till the next date of hearing, multiple lawyers associated with the case confirmed. However, detailed order is yet to be made available.

The security withdrawal orders had courted controversy in May, after singer Sidhu Moose Wala was killed by gangsters in Mansa in broad daylight days after his security cover was partially withdrawn.

The government had argued that security cover of 434 protectees was curtailed on May 26, which was restored on June 7. The government had clarified that it was withdrawn in view of the Operation Bluestar anniversary, which falls on June 6, and was a routine exercise undertaken every year.

As of decategorisation of security cover of 184 ex-ministers and former MLAs of the state on May 11, the government had argued that it was done after a through exercise.

Over a dozen politicians and others are in court challenging the AAP government’s move. They have argued that security was withdrawn in a “pick and choose” manner rather than on actual threat perception basis after the formation of the new government as a “populist measure”. Acting on the pleas, the high court had asked the government to clarify how the exercise was undertaken and how the protectees lists were put out on social media. The government is yet to give a detailed response on this aspect.