A day after the Supreme Court criticised massive police deployment for VIP security, the Centre on Friday said it would look into the possibility of scaling down security provided to VIPs depending upon threat perception so that more police force could be deployed for maintaining law and order in the Capital.
“If there is more security than required, then it needs to be scaled down. If there is excess, it should be reviewed and scaled down … But there is no unnecessary security,” Minister of State for Home R.P.N. Singh told journalists here.
Mr. Singh said the Delhi Police’s security wing makes assessment of who and what kind of security the VIPs need, and it was an ongoing process.
He, however, pointed out that whenever a VIP’s security was removed or scaled down, threat on his or her life increased, adding there were assassination attempts whenever security cover was removed.
“We can understand security being provided to the President, Vice-President ... But what is the requirement of providing security to judges? Why is security given to those who are not in power and against whom cases are pending,” the Supreme Court asked on Thursday.
The Delhi Police said that over 1,000 policemen are looking after the security of judges on which the court suggested that these policemen could be used to make the city roads safer for women.
As per government statistics, there are three policemen for every VIP and just one for every 800 people.