SC agrees to issue proximity cards

Krishnamani said the Supreme Court registry would issue proximity card to those advocates who apply for it on the basis of their registration with the state bar councils.
However, an advocate registered with the state bar councils would not be allowed to enter the high-security zone of the Supreme Court on the basis of the state bar council identity card.

Raging protest

Hundreds of lawyers on Tuesday shouted slogans against the CJI for the new ‘high security zone’ introduced in the Supreme Court.

Besides, the entire court complex has been kept under 24-hour surveillance through CCTV in the backdrop of reports of possible threat from terror elements.

Advocates, clerks besides, staff and journalists can now gain entry into the Supreme Court premises only if they swipe the photo proximity cards or digital photo identity cards.

However, the litigants are issued entry pass after they fill up a form with endorsement by a lawyer, identity proof and residential proof.

New judges

Four new judges – Justices Ananga Kumar Patnaik, Tirath Singh Thakur, Surinder Singh Nijjar and K S Radhakrishnan — will take over as judges of the apex court here on Monday.

Official sources said the presidential assent has been accorded and these judges will be given oath of office on Monday by CJI K G Balakrishnan.

After dropping the name of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P D Dinakaran, the Supreme Court collegium had recommended the names of these judges for elevation to the apex court.

The number of Supreme Court judges would rise to 26 with their taking over and four vacancies would remain out of the sanctioned strength of 30.