CJI appoints three-judge committee to look after SC secutity

New Delhi, Feb 15 (UNI) Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan has appointed a three-judges committee headed by Justice Altamas Kabir to look after the security of the supreme court after receiving feedback from intelligence and security agencies.

Other judges on the committee are Justices R V Raveendran and D K Jain.

The entry of litigants has also been streamlined in view of the security threat and now litigants or clients who want to meet their advocates can enter the high security zone only either by producing their identity cards or on the written recommendation of the advocate concerned. The advocate would be responsible for the activities of his client so long as they remains in the high security zone.

Some restrictions have been relaxed by the Supreme Court, following the representations made by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) that there was great resentment amongst the members of the Bar who are opposed to this virtual ban on the entry of clients.

The SCBA has decided to issue forms to its members so that they take the responsibility of their client before he or she is permitted to enter the high security zone.

No vehicle without the SCBA sticker is allowed to enter the Supreme Court complex. Recently, the Central Industrial Security Forces(CISF), along with the Delhi police have been entrusted with the task of looking after the security of the apex court. The entry of clients in the court was restricted following bomb blast in three district courts in Uttar Pradesh namely Varanasi, Lucknow and Faizabad.

UNI AKS/SC DS BST1754