Madras High Court is ‘high security zone,’ but no central force cover

Chennai: The state government has declared the Madras high court in Chennai and its bench in Madurai as ‘High Security Zones.’ The government acted after the first bench of the Madras high court sought security cover by central forces. The state informed the court that it is ready to improve the security on the campuses but Central forces would not be required.

Speaking for the government, Advocate General, A.L. Somayaji said that the state is ready to increase the strength of police personnel to 600. He was responding during a suo moto proceeding initiated by the court that came up for hearing on Thursday. Somayaji also informed the first bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that Central forces are not required to provide security cover to the campus as the state government planned to increase security cover.

Dissatisfied with the state police over providing adequate security cover to the Madras high court and its bench in Madurai, the court on Monday had directed the Central and state governments to immediately bring the campuses under the ambit of the CISF. This came after a group of advocates from Madurai staged a protest in a court hall seeking the intervention of the Chief Justice to implement Tamil as court language.

Somayaji said considering guidelines of the Union ministry in 2007 and high court order dated September 14, the state government passed a GO No (Ms) 670 dated September 17, declaring both the campuses as high security zone. He further said the DGP had directed all the commissioners of police and SPs to follow the guidelines with instructions to review and strengthen the security arrangements to the courts.

Madras high court advocate association's president R.C. Paul Kanagaraj and senior counsel NGR Prasad have opposed the recommendation to place central force in the courts. Additional solicitor general G. Rajagopal said Central government has initiated discussion with the state government over the modalities for providing security cover to the campuses.

Despite court order banning meetings inside the court, several such meetings were held for several years.Sticking to his earlier order, the Chief Justice tried to convince a large group of advocates, who had assembled in the court, opposing security cover by Central forces.