'Y-level security JUST for being an ex-minister'?

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed surprise over former ministers getting security cover and questioned a former minister from Uttar Pradesh about why he was seeking police protection.

"Can you get Y-level security just because you are an ex-minister? We are unable to understand," a bench of justices Gyan Sudha Misra and Madan B Lokur asked Ramveer Upadhyay, a minister in the Mayawati government, who was stripped of his security when the Samajwadi Party came to power in Uttar Pradesh.

The bench refused to pass any order on the plea of Upadhyay -- saying that he should file an application before the Allahabad high court -- before whom his case pertaining to police protection is pending.

The bench said that it would hear his case and would like the assistance of the Uttar Pradesh government counsel on June 5 to ascertain the type of threat perception faced by the Bahujan Samaj Party leader.

Upadhyay was given Y-level security cover during Mayawati's regime. But the present Samajwadi Party government provided only an armed constable for his protection.

Senior advocate U U Lalit, appearing for the ex-minister, contended that his client ahd been attacked six times and needed protection. He said that security had been withdrawn because of a change of government in the state.

The bench said that it cannot pass any order without hearing the view of the state government and posted the matter for June 5.