Published Jul 15, 2023 | 8:30 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 15, 2023 | 12:52 PM
The Vidhan Soudha
The security personnel at the Vidhana Soudha — which houses both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council of Karnataka — have identified over 250 car passes in the past three days that have either lapsed or were colour photocopies. And, pasted on vehicles, these were allowing unauthorised people seamless entry into the corridors of power.
However, no police complaint has been lodged, nor forgery cases registered, in connection with these invalid and/or forged passes, the security personnel told South First.
It all started when a few Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) raised the issue of vehicle parking at the Vidhana Soudha on 10 July.
During Zero Hour in the Legislative Council, MLC DS Arun lamented that space to park vehicles of elected representatives had shrunk due to an increase in the number of visitors being allowed into the Vidhana Soudha, claimed local reports.
“Many are carrying passes to visit Vidhana Soudha. There’s no idea if they have original passes issued by elected representatives or fake ones,” he was quoted as saying. “It is causing inconvenience and the government has to resolve this issue.”
The discussion is said to have led more members to complain about the misuse of vehicle passes.
Some of them were even quoted as saying that “power-brokers and middlemen” visit Vidhana Soudha.
Based on directions from Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil, the Vidhana Soudha security personnel on Tuesday, 11 July, began intense checking of vehicles that entered the premises and scrutinised their passes.
“During this checking, we stumbled upon several passes that were lapsed. Vidhana Soudha’s Department of Personnel And Administrative Reforms (DPAR) issues vehicle passes from April to March every year, and these passes have to be scrapped after they expire,” a senior official, who wished to remain anonymous, told South First.
“However, many workers and associates of elected representatives continue using expired passes stuck to their vehicles. Sometimes, a single vehicle bears multiple passes and they are allowed inside the Vidhana Soudha,” he noted.
“However, no incident of misuse or malpractice has been reported so far or has come to our notice,” added the officer
“We are in the process of streamlining the issue of vehicle passes. This time, we are even considering QR codes for scanned entry into the Vidhana Soudha premises,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Vidhana Soudha security) Channaveerappa H told South First that the task of checking the passes of vehicles was being carried out by marshals, and both Vidhana Soudha and Vikas Soudha security personnel.
“They are routine tasks and the reports will be available only with our higher-up — the secretary of the DPAR,” the DCP said.
It might be recalled that on 7 July, a 72-year-old man gained entry into the Assembly Hall while the newly elected Congress government’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was delivering his 14th budget.
The man, identified as Tipperudra, managed to enter the hall claiming to be Molakalmuru MLA NY Gopalakrishna, and spent 15 minutes in the JD(S) lawmaker’s seat.
When the marshals came and questioned him, he maintained that he was an MLA.
He was subsequently identified as a native of Chitradurga and whisked away by the marshals, who handed him over to the Vidhana Soudha police, who have registered a case of trespassing and impersonation against the old man.
He apparently told the police that he had a wish to attend a live budget session, and that was why he had come to the Vidhana Soudha.
Soon after this major security lapse, the Vidhana Soudha security personnel pulled up their socks when it came to checking each and every one — and their belongings.
On Monday, the security personnel stumbled upon a knife inside a woman’s handbag while she was entering Vidhana Soudha.
While interrogating her, the security personnel learnt that she was a Group-D employee at the Vidhana Soudha and her mother was admitted to a hospital.
She had the knife to cut fruits for her mother, which she had accidentally carried in her bag to work.
The security personnel eventually allowed her to keep the bag aside and go ahead with her work inside the Vidhana Soudha.
