A lawyer has approached the Supreme Court in wake of the shootout in Rohini district court on Friday, seeking direction, policies and guidelines for the protection of the judicial officers, advocates and legal fraternity.
The intervention application was filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari in an already pending case concerning the judges' safety and suo moto case initiated by the apex court after a Jharkhand judge was killed while he was on his morning walk.
The application sought direction to the Centre and State governments to take immediate steps and measures for the security of the subordinate courts in their regions.
It suggested that hardcore criminals, dreaded gangsters should be produced virtually in courts instead of bringing them physically, and CCTV coverage in lower courts should be ramped up.
"The Hardcore criminals/dreaded gangsters instead of producing them physically in the trial courts may be produced through video conferencing before the trial courts from jails. The remote areas and several district courts of the states do not have any kind of armed police post which may keep vigil during the court hours and act as a security to the judges, lawyers, court staff and litigants. The directions may be issued to the States for opening the armed police post in the district court complexes and also at the 'Taluka level judiciary'," it stated.
The application stated that still there are many district courts that do not have CCTV cameras, the application said, adding that such security and CCTV cameras shall be installed in the district court complexes so that every incident that occurs may be caught.
It added that in the rural areas and district courts many litigants come with their aides in large numbers in order to pressurize the other side, such unwanted mob or persons should not be permitted with any litigant in the court premises.
Earlier on Friday, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana expressed concern at the shooting in the Rohini court complex in Delhi. The CJI spoke to the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, DN Patel, in this regard and advised him to talk to both police and Bar associations to ensure that the functioning of the court is not affected.
Three people - Gangster Jitender Mann 'Gogi' and the two assailants - were killed in fire and counter-fire in the shooting that took in Rohini court yesterday while a hearing was taking place inside a courtroom.
( With inputs from ANI )
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