New
Delhi:
A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking
directions to the Centre and all the State governments to grant “X” category
security to all judicial officers.
The
plea also sought directions to the Centre and State governments to immediately
initiate and enforce guidelines for the protection of all judicial officers and
advocates.
In
the aftermath of the recent killing of Jharkhand judge Uttam Anand, a plea
filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari before the Supreme Court stated various incidents
across the country pointed towards the threats faced by lawyers and judges
thereby, preventing them from discharging their duties independently.
Although
the mysterious murder of Justice Uttam Anand was promptly taken into
consideration by the Jharkhand High Court and this Court, however, stated that
such incidents of attack on the judicial officers and advocates are on a rise,
said the plea.
Mr
Tiwari said that such an alarming rise of brutalities requires the immediate
judicial intervention of the Court.
“Such
incidents stands as the obstruction of justice because threat on the judicial
officers, advocates tend to hinder the functioning and the process of justice.
The advocates and judicial officers associated with high profile, high stake
and publicised and politicised matters has had to face the wrath in past
leading to a mockery of the system of justice of India,” the plea claimed.
The
petition also cited the incident of Mumbai where advocate Satyadev Joshi had
gone for a survey of the property along with his associate Ankit Tandon when
they were allegedly attacked by a group of 15 to 20 men with sharp weapons -
swords, knives last month.
“A
notion of independent judiciary evolves the thought of non-suppression,
non-interference, no external criminal threats and independence, hence such is
absolutely necessary for a free society and a constitutional democracy. It
ensures the rule of law and realization of human rights and also the prosperity
and stability of a society,” added the plea.
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