Explained: Who gets VIP security cover, and how?

What is the News?

Dera Sacha Sauda chief has been provided Z plus category security by the Haryana government. This decision has generated considerable interest as the person was serving a 20-year sentence and was released on furlough.

What is VIP Security?

The protection given to someone who holds a position of consequence either in the government or in civil society is informally called “VIP security”.

Who decides the level of security protection an individual needs from the Centre or a state?

The level of security is decided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in the case of the Center and by the state government in the case of states.

The assessment is based on inputs received from intelligence agencies, which include the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing at the level of the Centre and the state intelligence department in the case of the state government.

Who gets the security cover automatically?

Certain individuals, by reason of positions they hold in government, are automatically entitled to security cover. They include the Prime Minister and his immediate family, Home Minister, officials such as the National Security Advisor.

What are the different types of security cover provided?

There are largely six types of security cover: X, Y, Y plus, Z, Z plus, and SPG (Special Protection Group). 

The SPG cover is meant only for the PM and his immediate family.

The number of personnel guarding the protectee differs from category to category. For example, the X category on average entails just one gunman protecting the individual. On the other hand, Z-plus category protectees have 10 security personnel for mobile security and two (plus 8 on rotation) for residence security.

Which officers provide security cover?

Protectees get residence security from state police, but mobile security from a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).

For VIPs other than the PM, the government has mandated the National Security Guard (NSG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to provide security cover. In case a state accords security, the state police provides protection.

Source: This post is based on the article “Explained: Who gets VIP security cover, and how?” published in Indian Express on 26th February 2022.