The Supreme Court today granted eight weeks to states and union territories to file affidavits on the guidelines followed for issuing security to VIPs,including vehicles fitted with beacon lights. A bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya,while passing the direction,posted the matter for further hearing to the third week of January next years. Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman,who filed a note on the prevailing security systems in developed countries like the US,Canada and the UK,agreed with the suggestion of the court that the guidelines had to be framed and looked into from the Indian point of view. The apex court had earlier agreed to examine the government's guidelines for issuing security to VIPs and has converted a petition challenging the grant of Z-plus security to a Congress MLA from Uttar Pradesh into a PIL. The bench had passed the order while hearing a plea of Uttar Pradesh resident Abhay Singh who challenged Z-category security to Pratapgarh MLA Pramod Tewari for apparently inviting the wrath of Sikh militants in 1985. The petitioner had alleged the Centre had provided the highest category of security to the legislator for decades together without reviewing the threat perception. He had said the MLA has been provided with around 50 security personnel along with a fleet of cars with beacon lights,which caused inconvenience among locals.
