Rohini shooting: Bar associations suggest smart ID cards for lawyers
Listing out their suggestions for improving security measures at district courts, the lawyer bodies told the bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice Jyoti Singh that such smart cards will be similar to the “proximity cards” issued to lawyers for securing entry to the Supreme Court premises
The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) and the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) on Tuesday suggested to the Delhi high court that advocates must be allowed to enter district court premises only on the basis of a “smart ID card”, having a digital chip for verification of the individual’s identity.
Listing out their suggestions for improving security measures at district courts, the lawyer bodies told the bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice Jyoti Singh that such smart cards will be similar to the “proximity cards” issued to lawyers for securing entry to the Supreme Court premises.
“Advocates may be permitted with ID cards, like proximity cards in Supreme Court... There will be a mechanical scanning of these digitised cards,” said DHCBA president and senior lawyer Mohit Mathur.
Lawyer Devendra Singh, appearing for BCD, said a new card containing a “chip” will be issued to advocates to regulate their entry into court premises.
He said all advocates must abide by security checks and any refusal to follow the same shall amount to misconduct.
The suggestions were made during the hearing of a plea that the bench had taken up suo motu, following the shooting at Rohini courts on September 24 in which jailed gangster Jitender Gogi was shot dead by two men posing as lawyers, who were later shot dead by the police in retaliatory firing.
The bench had earlier asked all stakeholders, including the Centre, the Delhi government, and various bar associations, to also give their suggestions on the improving security at district courts so that these could be incorporated in the final order.
During the hearing, the DHCBA further suggested that all visitors, including advocates, be frisked using advanced metal detectors, and all vehicles checked using hi-tech devices. The association further said the entry of hawkers must be banned; only licensed shopkeepers must be allowed access and identity cards must be issued to their staff as well.
The BCD called for a three-tier security system, including posting police personnel in civvies inside courtrooms, setting up a “24-hour control room” and installing more CCTV cameras to monitor the court premises.
It was also suggested that an “active interactions and meetings” of stakeholders must be ensured to deal with the issues and a separate uniform be prescribed for law interns.
Both lawyer bodies said the production of under-trials should be done in the virtual mode and the number of security personnel increased.
Lawyer Robin Raju, appearing for a petitioner lawyer, who has filed a separate plea on the issue, said an advisory should be issued to all members of the Bar to cooperate with the security checks.
Additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma, appearing for Delhi Police, said his suggestions were “more or less the same”.
Earlier, Delhi Police had suggested that the use of technology must be maximised to reduce the physical appearances of parties at all seven district courts and also suggested the immediate upgrade of security gadgets to obviate security concerns.
It said the security of the seven district courts has been taken over by the Security Unit, a specialised unit of the Delhi Police, and necessary security arrangements and staff are being deployed accordingly.