Supreme Court asks Centre to consider deploying CISF cadre in courts to curb incidents of violence after Tis Hazari clash

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to look into the possibility of deploying a separate cadre of CISF in certain courts to check unruly incidents of violence.

A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, perhaps referring to the recent Tis Hazari court complex violence, said “had there been deployment of CISF, the Delhi incident would not have taken place”.

Lawyers and police personnel had clashed at the Tis Hazari Court complex in November last year in which a few advocates sustained bullet injuries and several security personnel were injured.

The bench, also comprising Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant, told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that there should be a separate cadre of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) which will provide security in certain courts after a decision by the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice said he has written a letter to the government in this regard.

“There can be a separate wing of CISF for security at courts. There can be a separate cadre,” the CJI told Mehta and asked him to file his reply on the issue.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing as amicus in the matter, said there may be problems for lawyers if the CISF personnel are deployed and it would be appropriate if the Bar Council of India’s view is also taken in the matter.

The bench then issued notice to the BCI seeking its reply in two weeks.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by one Pradyuman Bisht seeking audio and video recording of court proceedings in order to bring transparency.

Luthra had moved an application seeking a copy of the status report filed by the Centre in the matter.

The bench said it would tag the matter along with a similar petition pending on the issue.

Taking a reformatory approach and in a bid to bring in transparency, the top court had on March 28, 2017, for the first time, directed that CCTV cameras be installed in courts of two districts of each state and union territory.

On 11 December, 2017, the apex court had asked the Centre to look into the possibility of connecting live video recordings of court proceedings with the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).