HC seeks norms on giving security to individuals

PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court has asked the central and the state governments to apprise it of the norms /criteria adopted by them for providing security cover to individuals.

The directive came while the court was hearing a petition filed by former MP Dhananjay Singh who has challenged withdrawal of his Y+ security by the central government. Singh alleged that in June 2017, the union ministry of home affairs (MHA) withdrew the security cover of 12 people, including him and Uttar Pradesh ministers Nand Gopal Gupta (Nandi) and Brijesh Pathak. But, on August 28, 2017, the ministry communicated to the UP chief secretary that the order was under review and the decision of security cover withdrawal was kept in abeyance till a final decision regarding the same. However, on May 24, 2018, Singh’s Y+ security was arbitrarily withdrawn, the petition said.

After hearing the parties concerned, the bench, comprising acting chief justice Govind Mathur and justice CD Singh, fixed November 16 as the next date of hearing. The petitioner’s contention was that he was active in politics and the withdrawal of his security was politically motivated. He also said there were threats to his life.

According to the petitioner, one Prahlad Gupta filed a public interest litigation petition seeking withdrawal of Dhananjay Singh’s security cover on the basis of the MHA letter of June 2017. However, Gupta did not demand withdrawal of security cover of the 11 other politicians named in the MHA letter.

The PIL was listed in the high court on May 23, 2018 and the next date of hearing was fixed for May 25. On May 25, the MHA letter dated May 24, 2018 withdrawing the petitioner’s security cover was placed before the court.