New Delhi, November 28
Proximate security cover by the elite Special Protection Group (SPG) to a former Prime Minister and his spouse is proposed to be restricted to a year from the date he ceases to hold his office.
Currently former Prime Ministers, their spouses and immediate family members are given security cover for 10 years and beyond depending on the threat perception.
A Bill was today introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the SPG Act for restricting the security cover to them for a year and beyond it on the discretion of the Central Government.
The measure has been initiated in view of the manpower constraints being faced by the SPG and the financial burden being borne by the government on providing such security, the Bill said.
The Bill, introduced by Minister of State for Home Affairs C. Vidya Sagar Rao, said the security to immediate family members of a former Prime Minister should be restricted to three months from the date which he ceased to hold office “but may be continued subject to review by the Central Government on a case-to-case basis.”
