Amid the blame game between multiple security layers for the combined Old and New Parliament complex, the various “loopholes” and “differences” between uniformed personnel on highly defined security protocols led to a major breach at the New Temple of Democracy. This breach could have been more alarming on the day when the nation paid homage to the people who laid down their lives to secure the Parliament in December 2001.

With the Parliament security system short-staffed and no recruitment in the last decade, the tested and trusted in-cadre Parliament Security Services (PSS) were completely ignored when the huge new Parliament building was added this September. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is also the guardian of Parliament, announced that a comprehensive review would be carried out on the existing security system in Parliament.

“What improvements can be made in the security measures will be assessed after discussing the matter with members,” Birla said.

Birla ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident and praised the Lok Sabha members, security personnel, chamber staff, and marshals for rising to the occasion and capturing the perpetrators. “The incident is a matter of concern, and we are conducting a high-level inquiry into this incident. The future course of action will be decided based on the findings of the probe,” Birla stated.

The shortage of parliamentary staff was conveyed on many occasions by some leaders in the all-party meeting convened by the Lok Sabha presiding officer.

The PSS’s responsibility for the new Parliament has been curtailed only for the issuance of various category entry passes, including those of guests of the Parliament. The inner security layer for the NPB has been given to Delhi Police and CRPF for frisking and facilitating visitors, including media personnel, to several galleries in Lok Sabha as well as Rajya Sabha.

“We had an incident-free era in the Old Parliament as the entire security apparatus was managed by PSS, except for entry, which was handled by Delhi Police. We were trained for profiling visitors and assigned codes if any suspected face was present in the visitors’ lot, enabling PSS personnel to be extra cautious. We used to relay warnings yet facilitated guests without caring about whoever recommended the visitor. Besides, we allowed visitors to sit after the 4/5th seating rows, and special attention was given to the suspected face as it was already earmarked in the entry passes,” said a Parliament security source who also shared the various formats of training they undergo every year.

Now, the present scenario has changed, and PSS guards the Old Parliament, with their duty confined only to the issuance of passes from CPIC (Centralised Parliament Identity Card). The inner layer, which involves frisking and engagement with visitors/guests in the galleries, is to be done by the CRPF.

“In the present circumstances, the security system has completely failed. This is the biggest failure as the learning and process of profiling a person are too vital, easing the burden on the deployed staff. In this case, both the profiling and reflex action by the security forces failed. It was Parliamentarian colleagues who were more alert after the first accused jumped,” explained another PSS personnel.

While entrance with a valid authorized pass was granted, another issue that failed to be noticed was the presence of visitors beyond the allotted time slot. The two accused, Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma, who jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber, had visitors’ passes for 45 minutes, but they stayed in the visitors’ gallery for close to two hours, violating the rules, sources said.

Parliament sources said three passes were issued at the behest of BJP MP from Mysuru, Prathap Simha, for Wednesday. However, one person, a woman, had to return as she arrived with her child, whose name was not mentioned in her pass. The woman had no connection with the two accused. Manoranjan D has been pursuing Simha and his office for the pass for over three months. Facing flak, Simha’s office defended him, saying MPs generally entertain such requests from members of their constituency.

The “tried and trusted” PSS is now short-staffed by around 125 men of the sanctioned strength, and the last recruitment was done in 2013, while during the decade, several superannuated and vacancies against them were filled by deputation.

Sources said the sanctioned strength of security officials in the hierarchy ranging from Special Director (Security) to Security Assistant Grade-II is around 301, while the actual strength is 176-a vacancy of 125.

Against a sanctioned strength of 72 in Security Assistant Grade-II, the actual strength is only nine, they said, adding that the corresponding figure for Security Assistant Grade-I is 24 against a sanctioned strength of 69.

Serious questions are already being raised about the security breach, which comes on the 22nd anniversary of the terror attack on the old Parliament building. Hours earlier, President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a tribute to the nine people who were killed.

Doubts were expressed over the security arrangements in the NPB, which boasts sophisticated gadgets for foolproof vigilance of the Parliament.

During the Special session of Parliament this September, which also saw the inauguration of the new parliament, there were visitors shouting slogans hailing the PM after which the Opposition had sounded an alert over such indecent exhibition of prowess on the floor of the house.

As a Parliament correspondent for more than a decade now, the author of this report would observe that the PSS would not even allow visitors to carry any handkerchief, and the visitor gallery, which was next to the media gallery in the House, had several PSS men at designated spots even if on a given day there was only one visitor. The same drill applied to the MP spouse gallery, and even they could not carry any objects, including electronic items.

After the scare, Parliament security protocols have been revamped, including allotting separate entrances to MPs, staff members, and the press. Visitors, when allowed back, will enter from a fourth gate.

In addition, the visitors’ gallery will now be encased in glass to stop people from jumping into the Lok Sabha chamber. Body scan machines, similar to those in airports, will be installed in Parliament. The number of security personnel deployed inside the House is to be increased, sources mentioned.