Now, you can take guided tour of SC courtrooms, judges' library, interiors

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Thursday brought Supreme Court on the tourist map of the national capital by opening its gates to the public for a guided tour of the court premises including courtrooms, judges' library and its grand interiors.

The top court would be open to public on Saturdays for the guided tour of an hour. The booking can be made online. However, it will not be open on a Saturday that also happens to fall on gazetted or declared holidays.

The visitors will be accompanied throughout the premises and would be introduced to parts of the building of historic importance.

The pre-planned vistas can be organised subject to online booking, made in advance.

The Supreme Court will be open to the general public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday.

Announcing this, the Chief Justice Gogoi said this was entirely his decision for which he was seeking post facto approval from his brother judges.

CJI Gogoi described it as one of the "two great experiments" undertaken by him, the other being setting up of an 'In House Think Tank' to strengthen the knowledge infrastructure of the top court and to enhance its capacity to meet its increasing knowledge needs.

With the knowledge needs of the judiciary expanding and the range, content, and complexity of the issues that are adjudicated are growing exponentially, the in-house think tank would respond to these needs, thereby complementing the vibrant network of national and state judicial academies.