CISF takes over Parliament security from Delhi Police

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• Background
• What is Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)?
• Operations of CISF
• Existing security system in Parliament

Why in News?

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel has replaced the 150 personnel of the Delhi Police, including 54 women personnel, who were deployed for the security of Parliament.

After a security breach occurred in December 2023, CISF was asked to take over the security of the Parliament complex.

Background

• Security breach 
  • The new Parliament building was inaugurated on May 28, 2023, and was first used for official business. 
  • On December 13, 2023, two men carrying colour spraying canisters had jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber during Zero Hour from the visitors’ gallery.
  • They did this in protest against the rising unemployment, the unending ethnic violence in Manipur and farmers’ issues. 
    • In all, six persons have been arrested and booked under various sections, including terror charges. The police are yet to file a chargesheet in the case.
• CISF Roped in 
  • After the security breach, eight Delhi Police security personnel who were responsible for frisking and baggage scanning were suspended.
  • Later, the MHA has asked the CISF to carry out a survey of the Parliament premises for regular deployment.

What is Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)?

• CISF is one of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) established under an Act of Parliament, “Central Industrial Security Force Act, 1968.
• CISF was established in 1969 to provide integrated security cover to certain sensitive public sector undertakings with a strength of only three battalions.
  • The force has since grown into a premier multi-skilled organization with a present strength of 1,63,590 personnel.
• It works under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs and its headquarter is located at New Delhi.

Operations of CISF:

• Critical Infrastructure: 
  • CISF is currently providing security cover to 353 establishments through the length and breadth of the country.
  • Some of which includes Atomic Power Plants, Space Installations, Defence Production Units, Mines, Oil Fields and Refineries etc.
• VIP security: 
  • CISF has also been mandated to provide protection to the VIP protectees of Z+, Z, Y and X category across the country. 
• Fire Protection: 
  • The CISF also has its own Fire Wing which provides services to 104 of the above establishments.
• Airports: 
  • The specialized task of airport security was assigned to CISF in the year 2000 in the wake of hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 to Kandahar.
• Private sector: 
  • The CISF Act was amended to enable the Force to provide security, on payment basis, to private / joint venture industrial undertakings, which are vital for the security and economy of the country.
  • E.g. - The Infosys campuses in Mysuru, Bengaluru and Pune, the Patanjali Food and Herbal Park in Haridwar and the Reliance refinery in Gujarat's Jamnagar
• Overseas Deployment: 
  • CISF has contingents deployed at United Nations Stabilizations Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).
  • The CISF is the only Central Armed Police Force with a daily public interface; in the airports, in the Delhi Metro and in the iconic monuments.

Existing security system in Parliament

• At present, access control such as frisking and scanning the baggage is the responsibility of the Delhi police,
  • Eight Delhi police security personnel who were responsible for frisking and baggage scanning were suspended after the incident.
• The Parliament Duty Group (PDG), an armed component of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is deployed in case an armed intervention is required.
• The Parliament Security Service under the Lok Sabha Speaker is the overall in-charge of security.

Q.1. What is Parliament Duty Group (PDG)?

Zero Hour is a time in the Indian parliament when Members of Parliament (MPs) can raise issues of public importance. It starts at around noon, after Question Hour and before regular business begins. 

Q.2. What is Zero Hour in Indian Parliament?

Convective clouds, also known as cumuliform clouds, are clouds that form when warm, humid air rises through cooler air in the atmosphere. The warm air is less dense than the surrounding air, so it rises due to buoyancy. As the air rises, it expands and cools, and water vapor in the air condenses into cloud droplets, which creates even more buoyancy.

Source: CISF takes over Parliament security from Delhi Police | The Hindu | Hindustan Times