Delhi HC Registrar seeks security cover for 300 judges of the city’s courts

The Registrar General, Kanwal Jeet Arora, is learned to have written three letters to the Delhi Police, with the latest addressed to Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on September 13, drawing attention to the July 19 judgment passed by the Division Bench of the Delhi High Court, which directed the government to consider whether allowances or alternate arrangements, such as providing Personal Security Officers, could be made for the judges.

In his first letter to Delhi Police, dated January 15, Arora wrote, “…The judicial officers, by the very nature of their functions, are prone to threats and or hostile actions and reactions. Further, the judicial officers in Delhi have to deal with several sensitive and high profile cases. It may also be recalled that various incidents of violence etc have also taken place with the judicial officers in Delhi in the past.”

“I would like to inform you that in the Chief Justices’ Conference, 2022, chaired by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, it was resolved that the State governments provide adequate security to serving judicial officers…I am directed by the Hon’ble Acting Chief Justice to request you to ensure the safety and security of all the judicial officers ate the court complexes during their transit and at their residences,” he further wrote in his January 15 letter.

On August 14, Arora sent another letter to the police chief to provide PSOs to the judicial officers. However, no positive decision was taken by the Delhi Police.

The HC order of July 19, referred to in Arora’s third letter dated September 13, came in response to an application moved by the Delhi Prosecutors Welfare Association (DPWA) who sought the court’s intervention for providing them with adequate technological facilities/infrastructure in light of the scheme of digitalisation of prosecution. DPWAA had also asked for a special security allowance to public prosecutors.

The High Court in its order on July 19 directed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to consider the request of Public Prosecutors as similar provisions have been made for their colleagues serving in other agencies.

“…in this regard, it is further informed that as on date, the sanctioned strength of judicial officers of Delhi Higher Judicial Service in the scale of district judge (super time scale), equivalent to pay level 15 in central government is 149 and in the scale of district judge (selection grade), equivalent to pay level 14 in central government is 165,” Arora’s letter read, adding, “…to begin with, PSOs be provided to the judicial officers of Delhi Higher Judicial Services. It is further requested that Delhi Police may otherwise ensure the safety and security of all the judicial officers at the court complexes during their transit and at their residences”.

The security division of the Delhi Police has forwarded Arora’s request to the Union Home ministry. “After checking all the documents related with the security of judicial officers, it came to light that all the judges of Delhi High Court have “X” category security, so now it has been discussed in the meeting to provide security cover of the same “X” category to these 300 judges. But the security division is having a staff crunch to send 600 police personnel, so they are planning to send a proposal to the police chief Arora, asking him to provide 600 police personnel for their security cover,” a source said.