New Delhi: Under scrutiny from the Opposition over allegations of providing Parliament passes to individuals responsible for triggering panic in the Lok Sabha (LS) yesterday with gas canisters, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simmha met LS Speaker Om Birla last evening and briefed him about the accused persons.

Simmha told the Speaker that the father of accused D. Manoranjan, resides in his Constituency, Mysuru and had requested the pass to visit the new Parliament building, added the sources.

Sources said that the intruder remained in constant communication with Simmha’s Personal Assistant (PA) and office regarding the visitor’s pass. Simmha conveyed to the Lok Sabha Speaker that he possessed no additional information beyond what he had already stated. 

According to reports, Manoranjan introduced co-accused Sagar Sharma as a friend to the MP’s Office and got passes issued to them on the pretext of watching the new Parliament.  Manoranjan had been pursuing Simmha and his Office for the pass for over three months. 

Three passes were issued at the behest of Simmha for Wednesday (Dec.13). However, one person, a woman, had to return as she arrived with her child whose name was not mentioned in her pass, reports added. Facing flak, Simmha’s Office defended him, saying MPs generally entertain such requests from members of  their Constituency.

How are visitor passes to Parliament issued?

Admission of visitors is governed by Rule 386 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. The Rule, which deals with “admission, withdrawal and removal of strangers,” states that “the admission of strangers during the sittings of the House to those portions of the House which are not reserved for the exclusive use of members shall be regulated in accordance with orders made by the Speaker.”

According to the “Practice and Procedure of Parliament” by M.N. Kaul and S.L. Shakdher, “a member can apply for an issue of Visitors’ Cards only for those who are very well known to them personally.” Usually, visitors passes are issued for two hours.

And while applying for visitors’ cards, members have to give a certificate saying “The above-named visitor is my relative/personal friend/known to me personally and I take full responsibility for him/her.”

Must be personally known

In view of the security reasons, visitors have to carry a Photo Identity Card. The rules say “The names of visitors are required to be given in full and not with initials. The father’s/husband’s name of a visitor should also be given in full.” There are similar rules for Rajya Sabha.

The rules say “Under the regulations, a member can apply for a visitor’s card for a person who is known to him personally or in select cases for those who have been introduced to the member by a person who is personally known to him. It is in the latter class of cases that members are to exercise utmost care.”

Significantly, it says “Members have to bear in mind that they are responsible for any untoward incident or undesirable thing happening in the galleries as a result of anything done by card holders issued at the request of such members.”