MHA raises concern over surprise visit of CMs to states

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has asked all chief ministers not to make surprise visits to other states, saying these might pose a security risk to the visiting dignitary. In a communication to all chief secretaries, the ministry conveyed that it has come to know that sometimes chief minister of a state travels to another state without informing the host government.

“This is not only compromises the security of the visiting chief ministers, it can lead to potential embarrassing situations where the security detail accompanying the visiting chief minister is told that it has no jurisdiction outside the home state,” it said. The Home Ministry told the chief secretaries to convey to the respective chief ministers the need to inform the host state when he or she visits another state in the interests of security.

All chief ministers are ‘Z’ or ‘Z-plus’ protectees and as per the laid down procedure, when a chief minister travels to another state, it is the duty of the host state to provide adequate security to the visiting chief minister.

“It is therefore, necessary that when the chief minister visits other states, they should intimate to the host state their detailed programme so that adequate arrangements of security as well as other arrangements such as accommodation etc. if required, can be made. Even otherwise, it is normal to inform the host,” the home ministry told the chief secretaries.