As the CISF assumed security duties for most of Parliament on Monday, the future of the unarmed Parliament Security Service (PSS) is uncertain.
The PSS, formerly known as the Watch and Ward staff, was established in 1929 after Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt bombed the Central Legislative Assembly.
Officials raised concerns about transferring key functions to the CISF, a paramilitary force with limited public interaction experience.
While CISF deployment orders are pending, a PSS component may be retained due to their familiarity with MPs and ability to prevent imposters.
The PSS, renamed from Watch and Ward in 2008, is crucial for parliamentary security, as evidenced by the recent MHA approval for CISF surveying of the premises.