If the Committee on Security in Parliament Complex has its way, full-body scanners will soon replace metal detectors at the Parliament House. The panel’s chief, Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, said he would meet Speaker Somnath Chatterjee this week to put forth a proposal for installing body scanners.

When asked if he had factored in possible objections from MPs, considering that the intrusive device had attracted public protests in the West, Atwal said, “Yes.”

He said: “We respect people’s right to privacy and we would ensure that their sentiments are taken in to account but at the same time, we cannot compromise on the issue of security of Parliament. We cannot overlook the vast advances other countries are making to keep pace with the strategies of terrorists.”

A full-body scanner is a seven-metre box through which one has to pass while entering a building. The machine shows images beneath the clothing. This equipment was installed at several airports in the West post 9/11.

Atwal said senior officials are examining inputs from foreign companies to identify the most suitable equipment. “Obviously, we would opt for the scanners which do not reveal private parts but at the same time do not let people to smuggle in any dangerous object,” he said.