New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) The UP government on Monday informed the Supreme Court it released about Rs 82 crore for installation of new CCTVs in district courts premises in the state.
The submissions were made before a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran, hearing a suo motu case titled "Assault on two members of the Supreme Court Bar Association at district court complex, Gautam Budh Nagar".
"The state has released about Rs 82 crore for installation of new CCTVs," said the counsel.
The apex court issued a fresh notice to the president and secretary of the Janpad Dewani and Faujdari Bar Association, Gautam Budh Nagar, UP.
The bench passed the order after the lawyer appearing for the office bearers of the bar association said she had instructions to withdraw the "vakalatnama".
The top court said if the president and secretary of the bar association failed to appear before it on February 17, the bench would proceed to consider the issue and pass an appropriate order.
While hearing the matter on April 1 last year, the apex court sought the government response as it took note of a report from the Gautam Budh Nagar district judge that CCTV cameras in court premises were lying defunct due to lack of maintenance funds.
The top court, which on March 21, 2024 took note of the alleged manhandling of senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia in the Gautam Budh Nagar district court, said it has taken a dim view of the incident and the fact that the persons responsible were not identified so far.
The top court asked the district judge to preserve the CCTV footage of the incident which took place on March 20, 2024 and directed registration of a suo motu petition over the incident at the time of the lawyers' strike.
While it was stated that lawyers allegedly misbehaved and snatched the collar band of Bhatia, a woman lawyer claimed of being manhandled in a different court while appearing in a matter.
The top court said the strike by members of the bar affected the litigants who were vital stakeholders in the justice system. PTI ABA AMK