National News

Blue Book - Rules of Protocol

March 11 , 2026 14 hrs 0 min 66 0

During the March 2026 visit of Droupadi Murmu to West Bengal, neither the Chief Minister nor a nominated Minister received the President, raising questions about the ‘Blue Book’ protocol rules.
The ‘Blue Book’ is a confidential manual of the Ministry of Home Affairs that lays down security, logistics, and ceremonial protocols for visits by the President, Vice-President, and Prime Minister of India.
It mandates that high-level dignitaries must be received by the Governor and Chief Minister, and all venue security and administrative arrangements must follow approved procedures.
If the Chief Minister is unavailable, a “Minister-in-Waiting” (usually a senior Minister from the State Council of Ministers) should receive the President according to protocol.
As per the rules, a Mayor of a Municipal Corporation cannot be given the status of a Minister-in-Waiting, and the protocol rules cannot be altered by State governments for convenience.
The Blue Book also defines all arrangements for such visits, including reception points at airports, railway stations, road entry points, or seaports, and the list of officials receiving the dignitary must be approved by the respective secretariat of the President, Vice-President, or Prime Minister.
The manual is kept at the district level with the District Magistrate and the head of the district police, and any deviation from its provisions is treated as a serious security lapse and may lead to inquiries.