How long it would take to provide security in courts, HC asks UP govt

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The Allahabad High Court has asked the Uttar Pradesh government how long would it take to provide biometric gadgets and CCTV camera-supported security in the state court premises.

A bench of justices Suneet Kumar and Samit Gopal posed the query on Tuesday while hearing a public interest lawsuit, instituted suo moto after a broad daylight firing in Bijnor district court in 2019.

While hearing the lawsuit titled In Re Suo Moto Relating To Security And Protection In All Court Campuses In The State Of UP, the bench granted a week to the state government counsel to apprise it as to when the biometrics in the Azamgarh and Lucknow courts would be installed and made functional.

On the previous date, the court had asked the state government to file a reply to the actual sanctioned strength and deployed security personnel in each district court of the state.

Earlier in September 2021, the court had noted that the state government had made no progress in providing for biometric system-supported entry gate automation and gate passes for lawyers and litigants in lower courts due to the pending financial sanction and approval since February 2020.

By its order dated December 20, 2019 and January 2, 2020, the high court had issued directions to ensure adequate security in court premises.

The court has fixed December 2 as the next date of hearing in the case.