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SPG Act amendment Bill gets Parliament nod
Why in news?
- Parliament on Tuesday passed an amendment to the Special Protection Group Act, 1988, that will allow SPG cover to the Prime Minister and former Prime Ministers for a period of five years after leaving office.
More in news
- The SPG (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed in the Rajya Sabha by voice vote, after the Congress staged a walkout accusing the government of targeting the Gandhis.
- Amendments would end Dilution to the SPG Act over the years:
(1) It was informed by Home Miniter that the SPG had been raised to provide security to Prime Ministers after the assassination of the then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, but four amendments to the Act had been brought over the years to dilute it in order to provide SPG cover to former PM’s families.
(2) The amendments would end the “dilution” of the Act over the years. They had been brought keeping “one family” in mind.
- The amendment would not affect the Gandhis as their SPG cover had already been revoked following a review.
- With the amendment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would stand to lose as SPG cover would be revoked five years after he leaves office.
Sources
The Hindu