Special Protection Group (SPG): Govt issues fresh rules for SPG

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• The Special Protection Group (SPG)
• The SPG Act 1988
• The SPG (Amendment) Act 2019
• New Rules for the SPG

 

Why in News?

• A new set of rules has been issued for the Special Protection Group (SPG) by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Special Protection Group Act, 1988.

 

The Special Protection Group (SPG):

• About:
  • It is an elite force, specifically raised for the protection of the country’s Prime Minister, former PMs and their immediate family.
  • The force is currently 3,000 strong (from CRPF, BSF and other Central and State forces) and it was started in 1985 in the wake of the killing of PM Indira Gandhi in 1984.
• What is unique about the SPG?
  • The SPG is highly trained in physical efficiency, marksmanship, combat and proximate protection tactics and is assisted by all central and state agencies to ensure fool proof security.
  • SPG Special Agents assigned to the PM security wear black, Western-style formal business suits (safari suits on occasions), with sunglasses, and carry a two-way encrypted communication earpiece, and concealed handguns.
  • The SPG also has special operations commandos who carry ultra-modern assault rifles and wear dark-visor sunglasses with inbuilt communication earpieces, bulletproof vests, gloves and elbow/knee pads.

 

The SPG Act 1988:

• The Act provides for the constitution and regulation of the SPG to provide security to -
  • The PM (both in India and abroad), as well as the PM's immediate family members.
  • Former PMs, and their immediate family members residing with them at their official residence.
• It provides security to former PMs and their immediate family members for a period of 1 year from the date on which they cease to hold the office. 
• Beyond this period, the SPG security is provided based on the level of threat (must emanate from a military or terrorist organisation and be of a grave and continuing nature) as decided by the central government.

 

The SPG (Amendment) Act 2019:

• The protection will be offered only to the PM, former PMs and their immediate family members residing with them at their official residence.
• The security to former PMs, and their immediate family members residing with them at their official residence will be provided for a period of 5 years.
• When the security is withdrawn from a former PM such security will also stand withdrawn from members of his immediate family.

 

New Rules for the SPG:

• The officers of All India Services will be appointed to the SPG on deputation by the central government on the same terms and conditions as applicable to the officers of the corresponding ranks in the central government.
• Other members of the SPG (except All India Services) will be appointed on deputation for an initial period of 6 years.
  • The appointment for the 2nd tenure may be done with the prior approval of the central government for reasons to be recorded.
• The SPG, will have its headquarters in New Delhi and now be handled by an officer not less than the rank of an Additional Director-General belonging to the Indian Police Service.
  • The general superintendence, direction, command and control, supervision, training, discipline, and administration of the SPG will be vested in the director.
  • The director of the SPG shall be the functional head and responsible for the implementation of the duties assigned in the Act.

 

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Q1) What is meant by All India Services (AIS)?

AIS comprises two of the union civil services group 'A' gazetted designations known as Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service and one of the union natural resources services group 'A' gazetted designations known as the Indian Forest Service.

 

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Source: Govt issues fresh rules for SPG; ADG to head special force that guards PM