MANU/PIBU/1741/2019
Department/Board : Press Information Bureau
Date : 27.11.2019
Lok Sabha passes the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019
As per original Act, SPG cover solely meant for security of the Prime Minister; Amendment to make SPG more efficient in securing PM: Shri Amit Shah Threat Perception, not vendetta politics, determines level of Security Cover; Z+ cover of CRPF with ASL and Ambulance provision maintained for Gandhi Family: Home Minister SPG has been turned into a status symbol; Act has been amended each time earlier only to ensure continued SPG cover for a family: Shri Amit Shah
The Lok Sabha passed the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, after negating all the proposed amendments today.
Initiating the debate on the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019 today in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that SPG shall provide proximate security to the Prime Minister and his immediate family members residing with him at his official residence. The Bill says that family members of a former Prime Minister who reside with him at his allotted accommodation will get security cover of the SPG only for five years, from the date he/she ceases to hold the office of Prime Minister.
Replying to the debate, the Home Minister noted that there is a perception in the country that the amendment in SPG Act is only for the purpose to remove the SPG security cover for the Gandhi family. Contrary to this, the change of the security cover has been done only on the basis of yearly security threat perception review by the government. Such a security review has been a part of the original act, he added.
Shri Shah emphasized that the security cover of the Gandhi family has not been reduced or taken away, rather it has just been changed from SPG cover to Z Plus security cover by the CRPF, along with ASL and ambulance, across the country. The level of the security cover has been maintained and not even one security personnel has been reduced. He also said that the SPG security cover is being formed by the same security personnel who comprise of the Z plus security cover.
Shri Shah informed that based on the recommendations of the Birbal Nath committee report, SPG came into existence in 1985. From 1985 to 1988, SPG was governed by an Executive Order and only in 1988 the SPG Act came into existence to provide security to the Prime Minister and his/her family.
Shri Shah said that the SPG Act was enacted in 1988 to provide for the constitution and regulation of the SPG as an armed force to provide proximate security to the Prime Minister and his/her immediate family members. Amendments to the Act were effected in 1991, 1994, 1999 and 2003 and today a further amendment is being brought to revert back to the original spirit of the Act.