New SC security system leaves lawyers stranded, fuming

 

NEW DELHI: Protests by lawyers have not abated since Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishan inaugurated a state-of-the-art brand new security system

 

for the Supreme Court that restricts entry to those having digital I-cards, called proximity cards.

A number of lawyers led by Supreme Court Bar Association president M N Krishnamani and other leaders Priya Hingorani, C D Singh and D K Garg on Wednesday protested loudly before a Bench headed by Justice Balakrishnan demanding relaxation of the strict rule and permitting advocates to enter the court complex with their I-cards.

A miffed CJI bluntly told them that the security system would not be diluted on any ground but added that he was willing to discuss the problems faced by the lawyers so as to find a solution to it.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to the advocates. I am ready to discuss the problem. All those advocates and registered clerks who want proximity cards should apply for it and we will see that it is issued expeditiously to them," the CJI said while fixing Thursday afternoon for a meeting with the representatives of lawyers.

Both Krishnamani and Hingorani said that because of the denial of entry to the lawyers on Tuesday, several cases got dismissed and requested the CJI to restore these cases. But, the CJI did not relent.

The Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) also protested against the new security system and said: "Since Bar Councils are statutory bodies which issue identity cards to advocates enrolled with them after proper verification, these identity cards should be honoured to enable them entry into the Supreme Court."