In a significant policy shift, the Haryana Police has established stringent financial criteria for citizens seeking state-provided security on a payment basis. The new regulations, which were recently presented before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, mandate that only individuals with a high income or substantial assets will be deemed financially capable of bearing the cost of their own protection.
Who Must Pay for Police Security in Haryana?
The core of the new framework is a clear financial threshold. Only individuals earning more than Rs 3 lakh per month or possessing assets worth over Rs 3 crore (excluding their primary residence) are automatically considered capable of paying for police protection. However, the policy also allows others, who do not meet this benchmark, to voluntarily opt for paid security services if they so desire.
The responsibility for assessing an applicant's financial capacity lies with senior police officials. The office of the ADGP CID, the commissioner of police, or the superintendent of police will scrutinize documents including:
- Income tax returns
- Asset statements
- Balance sheets
- Reports from various government and revenue authorities
Breakdown of Costs and Payment Rules
The cost structure for security is detailed and comprehensive. The manpower charges are calculated as per guidelines from the state's home department. On top of that, a monthly overhead charge of Rs 12,000 per security personnel is levied to cover administrative and logistical expenses.
If a police vehicle is provided, the protectee must also cover its operational and maintenance costs along with the driver's salary. To ensure continuous payment, applicants are required to deposit an amount equivalent to three months' cost in advance, plus a bank guarantee for another three months.
The rules are strict on payment compliance. Security will continue only if advance payments are maintained. If a protectee refuses to pay, the case will be urgently reviewed by the SP or commissioner and referred to the ADGP CID for a decision on continuing protection. Any outstanding dues can be recovered by encashing the bank guarantee.
Exceptions and the Case of Abhay Chautala
The policy does make an exception for grave threats. In exceptional cases where a person is unwilling to pay, but intelligence reports indicate a grave and high threat to their life, security may be provided free of charge. However, this is only for a limited period of three months, after which the situation is subject to further review.
These regulations, dated August 12, 2024, were framed under the Haryana Police Act 2007 following a court order. The policy categorizes security into three types: positional (for office holders), threat-based, and payment-based.
The rules were presented in court in response to a petition by senior INLD leader and former MLA Abhay Chautala, who is seeking Z-plus security for himself and his family. The state informed the court that while Chautala does not qualify for positional security, his case is being considered under the threat and payment categories. He and his family currently receive Y-plus security, which includes 18 armed personnel.
