Debate Over Regulation Of Private Security Agencies – India.

  Even though possibly more than 30,000 private security agencies are operating all over India, private security here is still an unorganized and unregulated industry.  The need for regulating this burgeoning industry was officially recognised when a Draft Bill for Regulation of Private Security Agencies was framed by the Government of India as early as 1994.  The then Minister for Internal Security, Shri Rajesh Pilot, had requested the IISSM to tender expert opinion for suitable changes in the Draft Bill.  The recommendations of the Expert Committee of the IISSM had been sent to the government but it appeared the Draft Bill did not make much headway for long.  The IISSM again took up the matter in the year 2000, particularly under the aegis of the Bureau of Police Research and Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, and a fresh set of recommendations for revising the Draft Bill had again been sent up.  The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, also wanted to exchange views with some practising private security experts.  The IISSM organised that as well.  The Ministry also received suggestions from other agencies and although the Bill is off and on included in the List of Business in Parliament, it has not yet been taken up.  The IISSM has again recently requested the Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs for favour of bringing the matter to its logical conclusion.


          Even with this situation, the “debate” still continues.  In a recent discussion over a research paper at a national level think tank, dealing with security and strategic matters, the view projected was that big private security agencies were in favour of the regulation so as to oust the smaller fish from the market.  What an erroneous presumption indeed!  The IISSM had the opportunity to explain that the regulation of private security agencies was the need of the hour and that it was necessary for the sake of achieving professionalism in the industry and thus paying not only for customer’s satisfaction but also to justify its role in national economy and security.  There should be no place for unscrupulous and unethical smaller agencies in the field of private security industry which must become truly professional.  As the Hon’ble Governor of Tamilnadu had recently underscored in his inaugural address to the XIIth Annual International Seminar of the IISSM at Chennai on December 17, 2002, the passing of a suitable legislation for regulating private security agencies could not indeed be further delayed.

The IISSM urges all concerned to take up the cudgel in their own way so as to pursue the cause and get the Draft Bill converted into a formal Act of Parliament.  Private security agencies have indeed to be regulated.  Let us all try for that.    The recent move of the Delhi Police asking all private security agencies for registering with them is a move in the right direction.  The IISSM has offered its services to the Delhi Police.