Delhi High Court asks Centre, State and Delhi Police to hold meeting over security for district judges

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed senior officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Delhi government and the Delhi Police to hold a meeting within a week to consider the issue of providing security to judges of the district courts. .Justice Manoj Jain observed that the issue of security for trial court judges is extremely important and that something must be done. "The issue is important. I am with you on that...The severity of the grievance raised in the petition cannot be undermined from any angle whatsoever," the Court remarked.The Court said that a report after the meeting must be furnished before it in two weeks. "Let a meeting in this regard take place between the competent senior official of the GNCTD, MHA and Police so that a report in this regard be filed by the next date of hearing. Let such a meeting be held in a week," the Court ordered. It added that in the meeting, the authorities must seek details about whether other states have made arrangements for security for the judicial officers. .The Court passed the order on a plea filed by the Judicial Service Association of Delhi, an organisation representing the judges of the trial courts. It sought directions to government authorities to provide personal security officers (PSOs) to district judges and to ensure that there is adequate security at their residences. The Association highlighted that most of the judicial officers drive their own vehicles and that there are several instances of stalking, threatening and road rage against the judges. It added that at times, several judicial officers deal with numerous criminal cases of gang wars. The plea stated that there have been instances of firing at courts as well.Senior Advocate Kirti Uppal appeared for the judges' association and stated that several judges face threats and stalking. "There was one instance where a lady judge was told, 'Kam bolo agar jeena hai to (speak less if you want to stay alive),'" he told the Bench. Uppal added that States like Maharashtra and Gujarat have already mandated security for judicial officers.Standing Counsel (Criminal) Sanjay Lao appeared for the Delhi government and told the Court that a call would be taken on this "important" issue. .After considering the case, the High Court noted that the judges' association had also sent a representation to the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court over the issue, but its status is not known. Therefore, the Court directed the petitioner to implead the High Court Registrar General as a party to the petition. The Court asked the Registrar General to submit a report on the status of the representation.