Maharashtra: Not CM but committee to decide on granting security

Mumbai: In a major departure from past practice, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has handed over the power to decide the level of security that an applicant merits to a committee headed by the chief secretary. [caption id=“attachment_1807835” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. PTI[/caption] Earlier, chief minister and the home minister decided the level of security a person needed; this had political leaders and others lobbying with the Chief Minister to get the highest ‘Z-plus’ category security which is considered a status symbol, a senior official said here. Fadnavis has completely delegated this power to a committee headed by the chief secretary and comprising director general of police and commissioner, intelligence as members. The official said that as per the Chief Minister’s directive, “as determination of threat perception is a technical matter based on police assessment, the powers should not be exercised by home minister or the chief minister but by the committee headed by chief secretary as prescribed under relevant rules.” While earlier the committee’s recommendations were forwarded to the chief minister for approval, now the committee would be the final authority. PTI