Two-layer security to be provided in district courts to address safety concerns: CJI NV Ramana

Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana said on Saturday that the Chief Ministers of various states have assured him that necessary steps will be taken to address concerns about security at various district courts across the country..He said that the two-layer security system in place in Jammu & Kashmir High Court will be implemented in Districts Courts as well. The CJI was responding to a question posed by Bar & Bench at a joint press conference held with Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju. Since the CJI had earlier touched on the topic of judicial infrastructure, Bar & Bench enquired if any changes were being considered to address the glaring lapses in security at district courts which have recently resulted in violent attacks and explosions."We have already taken up the issue. The Chief Ministers have assured that they will provide adequate security. We are planning to implement the two-layer security system as followed in Jammu and Kashmir High Court to combat such instances," he answered..The CJI was briefing the press about the developments in the meeting held with Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories and Chief Justices of all High Courts. .Safety of judges has been a major talking point among legal fraternity after the death of Dhanbad Additional District and Sessions judge Uttam Anand who was killed in July 2021 when a vehicle rammed into him while he was out on his morning walk.While it was initially believed that the death of judge Anand was an accident, CCTV footage of the incident which surfaced, suggested that the vehicle was deliberately rammed into the judge as he was walking along the edge of the road.This had prompted the Supreme Court to register a suo motu case concerning judges safety.Subsequently, in September 2021, a shootout happened inside the Rohini Court, leaving three people including gangster Jitender Gogi, dead.Later in December 2021, a minor blast occurred in Rohini court though the culprit in that was later arrested.In March, 2022, a Judicial Magistrate in Tamil Nadu's Salem district was stabbed by his office assistant inside the court complex.The Delhi High Court is also seized of a petition seeking measures to ensure safety and security at the district courts of Delhi.