“CJI go back, CJI go back”, “we are lawyers, we can’t be treated like this,” the lawyers screamed when Justice Balakrishnan arrived to inaugurate the new security system under which entry to the Supreme Court premises from Monday would be allowed by use of special “proximity card.”
Justice Balakrishnan offered “no comments” on the violent protest in the Karnataka High Court against its Chief Justice P D Dinakaran, who is embroiled in an alleged land-grabbing controversy in his native village in Tamil Nadu. However, to a query he said, “I have read about it in newspapers. I do not want to say anything on it.’’
The apex court laywers also sat on a dharna near the gate for over an hour but dispersed after the CJI left the place.
Advocates and clerks, besides staff and journalists can now enter the Supreme Court premises only if they swipe the photo proximity card. The latter is issued to visitors, clients and visiting officials. The grievance of the agitating lawyers is that the proximity cards have been issued only to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) members whereas those advocates who have their membership issued by the respective State Bar Councils will have to obtain a normal photo entry pass at special counters.
The entire court complex has been kept under 24-hour surveillance through CCTV in the backdrop of reports of possible threat from terror elements.
Though a delegation led by the SCBA president M N Krishnamani took up the issue with the CJI, the latter ruled out relaxation of the rules.
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