VIPs exempted from Security Check at Indian Airports

Rakesh Dubbudu

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So, who are those VVIPs that are exempted from the pre-embarkation security check at the civilian airports in the country? What is the basis for extending such exemptions?

The reply received from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India in response to an RTI application filed by us has the following information.

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According to the reply, a total of 32 categories of people are exempted from pre-embarkation security check at the civilian airports. Such exemption is granted on the basis of the following

On the basis of Protocol
On the basis of receiprocity/bilateral agreement in respect of forgien dignitaries
On the basis of Security ground.

Based on the above grounds, Government of India has exmepted the following categories of people from pre-embarkation checks at civilian airports.

President

Vice President

Prime Minister

Governors of States

Former Presidents

Former Vice President

Chief Justice of India

Speaker of Lok Sabha

Union Ministers of Cabinet rank

Chief Ministers of States

Deputy Chief Ministers of States

Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha

Holders of Bharat Ratna Decoration

Ambassadors of foreign countries, charge D’ Affairs and High Commissioners and their spouses

Judges of Supreme Court

Chief Election Commissioner

Comptroller & Auditor General of India

Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha & Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha

Minister of State of the Union Council of Ministers

Attorney General of India

Cabinet Secretary

Lt Governors of Union Territories

Chiefs of staffs holding the rank of full General or equivalent rank

Chief Justices of the High Courts

Chief Ministers of Union Territories

Deputy Chief Ministers of Union Territories

Visiting Foreign dignitaries of the same status at SI. Nos. 1 to 4,7,8,9 above

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

SPG Protectees

Spouse of the President of India is exempted from pre-embarkation security checks at all civil airports even when he/she is not accompanying the President

Former Prime Ministers of India

Note: The Accompanying spouse of the above said VVIPs/VIPs is also exempted from pre-embarkation security checks at all civil airports in the country

(The Special Protection Group (SPG) is one of the eight Central Armed Police Forces of India formed in 1988 by an act of the Parliament of India for “providing proximate security to the Prime Minister of India and former Prime Minister of India and members of their immediate families.” Family members of a serving Prime Minister (PM) may decline security. Former PMs and their immediate family members may also, if they choose, decline SPG security.)

Recent Changes to the List

This list has undergone changes lately after the furore over the inclusion of Mr. Robert Vadra’s name. This new list of VVIPs/VIPs who are exempted from pre-embarkation security checks at all civil airports in the country does not include the name of Mr. Robert Vadra. The only other change compared to the old list is an additional note at the bottom of this list that says, ‘The Accompanying spouse of the above said VVIPs/VIPs is also exempted from pre-embarkation security checks at all civil airports in the country’.

This means that if Mr. Robert Vadra is accompanying Mrs. Priyanka Gandhi and if she is a SPG protectee, then Mr. Vadra would still be exempted from pre-embarkation check.

PS: The list could change in the future. This will be updated as and when it is done.