Shimla – The monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, starting August 18, will take place under tightened security arrangements, with drone surveillance and a complete ban on electronic devices inside the House.
In a meeting chaired by Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania at the Assembly Secretariat, it was decided that all entry passes will be issued in handwritten form instead of online. Although the state assembly has adopted the National e-Vidhan (NeVA) system, the shift is temporary as its complete implementation is still in progress.
A force of 900 police personnel will be deployed to maintain order and security during the session. Drones will be used to monitor activities around the Vidhan Sabha premises. Passes for the official gallery, establishment staff, and accredited journalists must be prominently displayed, and legal action will follow if any pass is transferred. Passport-size photographs on passes will be mandatory, without which entry will be denied.
Strict parking rules will be enforced. Only vehicles belonging to ministers, MLAs, the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretaries, and Administrative Secretaries will be allowed in the main parking area. Journalists can park from Vidhan Sabha Chowk to Gate No. 2, while Secretariat employees will use marked spots on Mall Road between Gate No. 2 and the Accountant General’s Office.
Security protocols will also prohibit carrying mobile phones, laptops, pagers, and similar devices inside the House. Visitors and public representatives will be allowed to meet the Chief Minister and ministers only in the waiting room, and only after securing an appointment. Photography and videography inside the House will not be allowed.
To address emergencies, a fully equipped ambulance with two doctors and paramedical staff will remain stationed on the premises. Speaker Pathania made it clear that any lapse in security would not be tolerated during the session.
