Supreme Court favours separate, dedicated CISF cadre for deployment in Courts

Chief Justice of India SA Bobde today said that he has asked the Centre to consider creating a separate and dedicated cadre of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) for deployment at court premises across the country.

While hearing a plea filed by one Pradyumna Bisht, CJI SA Bobde, who was on the Bench with Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant, favoured the dedicated security agency for courts.

CJI Bobde also said that the untoward incident and clashes between the Delhi Police and lawyers at Delhi's Tis Hazari Court might not have taken place, if there was dedicated security cover.

Senior Counsel Sidharth Luthra, the amicus in the case, proposed that the bodies and associations formed by lawyers may also be involved in the matter. This prompted the Apex Court to issue notice to the Bar Council of India.

The Court will hear the matter next after two weeks.

In November last year, a scuffle broke out between lawyers and police personnel at Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court Complex following an argument between the lawyers and police over parking issues in the Tis Hazari premises.

As the violence escalated, the Delhi Police was deployed at the court premises. The days that followed saw acute tension between lawyers and the police as well.

The Tis Hazari violence had also prompted the filing of another PIL calling for the establishment of specialized security forces in all the courts in the country, including trial and district courts, to enhance security and safety in courts.

Last month, a Division Bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari issued notice in this plea.