WHAT IS THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE ENTERING STRANGERS IN INDIAN PARLIAMENT ?

 

A major breach in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday raised questions over the security and screening process at Parliament. However, Parliament is no stranger to security breaches. In the past, many incidents of breach by visitors in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were reported. Even members of Parliament have caused breaches on several occasions. 

The two persons who entered the Lok Sabha chamber on Wednesday (December 13) and opened canisters that emitted yellow smoke were carrying authorisation passes by BJP MP Pratap Simha.

According to PTI, Manoranjan D, one of the accused, introduced co-accused Sagar Sharma as a friend to the MP’s office and got passes issued to them on the pretext of watching the new Parliament. Manoranjan D had been pursuing Simha and his office for the pass for over three months, reported PTI.

Who is Pratap Simha, and what is the process of issuing visitor passes for Parliament? Is the MP supposed to know the applicant personally, or bear any sort of responsibility for his conduct? We explain.

Admission of visitors (strangers in Parliament parlance) are governed by Rule 386 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. The Rule, which deals with “admission, withdrawal and removal of strangers”, states that “the admission of strangers during the sittings of the House to those portions of the House which are not reserved for the exclusive use of members shall be regulated in accordance with orders made by the Speaker.”

Parliament witnesses unparliamentary activities and breaches by members. Lagadapati Rajagopal used pepper spray in Lok Sabha during a protest against Telangana legislation. An MP was rumored to have a knife. Anand Mohan Singh was found with a gun in the LS chamber and broke a glass door pane. In the mid-1990s, protestors jumped from the visitors' gallery into Lok Sabha during the Uttarakhand formation movement. MPs carrying banned substances or devices differ from visitors doing the same.