Parliament may soon have full body scanners

With security of lawmakers being a prime concern, Parliament could soon have full body scanners and vehicle scanners. As part of measures to further beef up security in the highly protected complex, installation of these new gadgets are being considered.

The state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited has been asked by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to give a demonstration of these scanners as early as possible. Parliament sources said the use of new gadgets are being thought of to ensure fool-proof security to Parliament which had witnessed a terror strike in 2001.

The Committee on Security in Parliament Complex headed by Deputy Speaker Karia Munda had earlier wanted to send a team of Parliamentarians to some countries to see how the system works but has now given up the idea. Following the 2001 attack, security in the entire complex had been overhauled. CCTV cameras put in place during the Speakership of Shivraj Patil in early 1990s had helped in the investigation of the terror strike.

A full-body scanner is a seven-metre box through which one has to pass while entering a building. This equipment was installed at several airports in Western countries after the 9/11 terror attacks in the US.