VMS system for security inspection in State

VMS system for security inspection in State

June 23rd, 2013

The latest Visitor Management Systems (VMS) will be installed at key public facilities such as the Government Secretariat, in order to check undesirable elements and to strengthen security. The Home Department will now depend on the State Police Special Branch to offer it “protocol advice” in advance on functions hosted by private persons to which its top functionaries are invited.

How will it work?

Visitors to the offices of Ministers, for instance, will be required to insert their driver’s licence or Aadhaar cards (which contain biometric info.) into the card reader kept at the VMS kiosk. The proposed system will compare the information with the State’s database on its citizens, take the visitor’s photo and issue him a temporary identification badge. After authentication, the visitor will be guided to the Minister’s or bureaucrat’s office. The visitor will be required to hand over the badge when he exits the facility. The Special Branch will also prepare a “lookout index” of “undesirables” to assist the Secretariat security.

Why this step?

The move comes in the wake of a series of “stinging” revelations of its top functionaries, including Ministers, former Ministers, bureaucrats and certain District Police Chiefs, having attended functions hosted by dubious persons, including unscrupulous operators accused of serious financial crimes.

To curb this, the government will inform the Intelligence Wing at least one week in advance of private functions to which its representatives are invited. The Intelligence Wing will preempt “undesirable elements and private profiteers” from exploiting the “openness and easy accessibility” of the State’s political executive for their private ends. The police officials will need to get the clearance from the Intelligence Wing in advance before “endorsing” private functions, excluding social events such as marriages and funerals, by their attendance. The Special Branch will verify the background of the organizers, check the host’s intentions and find who else is on the list of invitees apart from the VIP.