Supreme Court asks ex-YSRCP MLA to opt for private security!

The Supreme Court on Tuesday advised former YSRCP MLA Katasani Rambhupal Reddy to arrange private security using his own resources instead of seeking government-funded police protection. Hearing a petition challenging the Andhra Pradesh government’s decision to withdraw his 2+2 security cover, a bench comprising Chief Justice Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi questioned why public funds should be spent on providing security when private arrangements are available. The court observed that police security has increasingly become a status symbol and emphasized that protection should be granted strictly based on credible threat assessment rather than political position.

Senior counsel appearing for the petitioner argued that despite past threats and the murder of several members of his family, the state had withdrawn his security while granting protection to his political rivals. However, the bench rejected these arguments, stating that threat perception is determined scientifically through intelligence inputs and established procedures. The judges noted that political affiliation alone cannot justify security cover and clarified that every citizen is equal before the law. The court ultimately left the decision to the state police authorities, directing them to act based on assessed security needs.