Steps taken for robust, foolproof security of Parliament: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

Mumbai: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday said necessary steps are being taken for robust and foolproof security of the Parliament complex, taking into consideration the dignity of members.

Birla's statement comes ahead of the Budget session of Parliament that begins on Wednesday under the cloud of the security lapse last month when two intruders had jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery and set off smoke canisters.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai after the All India Presiding Officers' Conference, Birla said necessary steps are being taken for robust and foolproof security of the Parliament complex.

"Security arrangements will take both the risk of the premise and dignity of members into consideration," the Speaker said.

A contingent of 140 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel has been deployed at the complex as part of the new measures to frisk visitors and their baggage from the Budget session.

The CISF will render access control to the new Parliament building in an airport security-like fashion where body frisking of people and their belongings will be done through X-ray machines, hand-held detectors with a provision to even scan shoes, heavy jackets and belts by putting those on a tray and passing those through the X-ray scanner.