New Delhi, Dec 14 The Supreme Court on Wednesday orally observed that it would send paramilitary forces if the Odisha Police are unable to control the situation in connection with the vandalisation of courts and disruption of court proceedings in some districts of the state.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S. Oka told the Director General of Police, Odisha, and Inspector General, Sambalpur, appearing virtually, that if police are unable to control the situation, then the court will send paramilitary forces there to deal with the situation.
The bench also said it will also come down "very hard" on those who vandalised courts and disrupted proceedings in some districts of Odisha, including members of the bar.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) informed the top court that it has suspended 43 agitating advocates of the Sambalpur District Bar Association for their alleged involvement in vandalism. The top court said FIRs must be registered against those who indulged in violence and they should be prosecuted.
"We are going to come down very hard and will be extremely harsh," it said.
The police officials informed the bench that a three-tier security system has been put in place around the district court and 15 platoons of police personnel were deployed after the apex court's last order.
Not content with this response, the bench said if police cannot to control the situation, then it will get paramilitary forces. The DGP told the court the situation was under control now.
During the hearing, the bench noted that the demand for establishing a permanent bench of the state high court in western Odisha seems to have become a prestige issue. The bench said if there was some remote possibility, that is lost now due to the lawyers' conduct.
The DGP and IG assured the court that no disruption of court proceedings in any manner will be allowed.The top court has scheduled the matter for further hearing in February.
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