Look how HC takes concrete steps

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court seems to have found a novel way of putting journalists in their place. It has built two concrete benches on the
pavement outside court premises with a board reserving that space for "accredited journalists'' who cover court proceedings on a day to day basis.

Interestingly, the constructions
adjoining the road are a result of efforts of a three judges committee that decided that scribes who disseminate information to the public about its proceedings ought to do so from a roofless roadside bench outside HC perimeters and not, as per rules, from a Press Lounge inside.

In this scorching summer when temperatures regularly touch 43-44 degrees, HC has deemed it fit to allot this space for the media. Reason being "acute space crunch.''

While repeated efforts to contact Chief Justice A P Shah for his response proved futile, HC's registrar administration A K Mahajan confirmed that orders came from the top.

"There is acute shortage of space in the high court and we have made these arrangements for the Press. The administrative committee of judges comprising Justices Vikramjeet Sen, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Aruna Suresh took the decision. With time we will put a roof to cover the structure,'' Mahajan told TOI, avoiding any explanation of why a structure was being offered outside court premises for facilitating court proceedings inside air-conditioned rooms.

President of Delhi High Court Bar Association K C Mittal reacted strongly, saying he was surprised that while in past few years HC has constantly upgraded itself, it appeared to have no space for the Press. "The HCBA condemns it, this arrangement for the media is humiliating,'' Mittal said.

Interestingly, the HC has cited this decision as compliance of a promise made by judges of the Supreme Court to scribes at a conference last year. At the conference, when it was brought to the attention of judges, including Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan that Delhi HC lacked a Press Lounge on the lines of that in SC, the judges had assured action. It is a different matter that the "action taken'' has shocked many.