Ensure enough police deployment in district courts for security, safety: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked authorities to ensure that there is ”enough deployment” of police personnel in district courts in the national capital for safety and security.

The court was hearing its suo motu case as well as other pleas on safety and security in court premises following the September 24, 2021, shootout in a courtroom in the Rohini district court that killed three people.

A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan said district courts witness a huge footfall and it has been informed that the deployment there is usually ”20 to 30 per cent short”.

”We have a huge footfall. We have to be very careful. Please ensure there is enough deployment…Deploy enough manpower,” the court told the Delhi government’s counsel.

During the hearing the court also observed that it was ”impossible” to regulate the entry of people inside district court complexes which have multiple gates.

”It is a huge footfall that can’t be managed. There has to be some methodology…Footfall can’t be so huge that it leads to stampede,” added the court following a suggestion to allow entry to court complexes on the basis of visitor pass.

The Delhi High Court Bar Association said it would take up the issue of installation of boom barriers, proximity cards etc with the building maintenance committee of the high court.

This court has no doubt that as and when the issue is raised by the bar association before the committee, it shall look into the same expeditiously, said the bench, also comprising Justice Mini Pushkarna.

The high court had on September 30, 2021, initiated on its own a petition concerning security at courts in the national capital following the September 24, 2021, shootout, saying there was a need for proper and effective deployment of a sufficient number of police personnel in courts.

The high court in April had directed that a meeting of stakeholders, including police and bar representatives, be held to discuss measures in relation to security inside courts and to come up with suggestions.

In a status report filed in the matter, the police had last year informed that to improve the security setup of all seven district courts in the national capital, 997 security personnel, including local police and CAPF, had been deployed there.

It had also said over 2700 CCTVs, 85 baggage scanners, 242 handheld metal detectors and 146 door frame metal detectors had also been installed in the district courts.

The high court had earlier directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to undertake periodical review of security arrangements in courts, based on security audit by an expert team, for the deployment of requisite number of personnel and installation of gadgets.

The matter would be heard next on February 1.