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CISF personnel underwent familiarisation exercise to help them recognise new MPs
The exercise was important as members of Parliament are exempted from frisking or showing their identity cards within the House complex
A familiarisation exercise was held for the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel posted at the Parliament complex to help them recognise the new members ahead of the first House session on June 24 days after the results of the 2024 general elections were announced on June 4, officials aware of the matter said. The exercise was important as members of Parliament (MPs) are exempted from frisking or showing their identity cards within the complex in keeping with the convention.
Of the 543 MPs elected to the 18th Lok Sabha, 278 have previously been either in Upper or lower Houses of Parliament. An official said photographs of all the parliamentarians were given to the CISF personnel posted at the Parliament.
“A similar exercise was done at the Delhi airport in 2019 after the election results as MPs began arriving in the Capital. There were many first-time MPs then too. All CISF personnel posted at the airport were given their photographs. The travel details of the parliamentarians were acquired and along with photos were given to CISF personnel. This was done to facilitate their movement within the airport swiftly,” the official said.
The Delhi Police and the Parliament Security Service, an in-house agency, manned the House gates until the second week of May when CISF took over the responsibility. The Union home ministry in December directed the CISF to conduct a survey following the security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on December 13.
Two men walked through three layers of security with smoke canisters concealed in their shoes. They vaulted into the Lok Sabha from the visitors’ gallery and sprayed smoke inside the chambers from the public gallery during Zero Hour. The breach prompted the suspension of eight security personnel for lapses.
