The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the State of Uttar Pradesh over non-maintenance of CCTV cameras in the court where Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia was assaulted. [In Re Assault on Two Members of the Supreme Court Bar Association at Gautam Budh Nagar District Court Complex]A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of a report that mentioned that CCTV cameras were not functional at the court."Report has said that CCTV cameras are not functional despite repeated letters so they cannot preserve the footage," the Court said.Subsequently, the Court ordered that the report be circulated to all parties and the Bar Council of India (BCI), and issued notice to the State.Advocate Garima Prashad appeared for the State.During the hearing today, the Court made it clear that it was not going to take the matter lightly."This we won't take lightly - asking judicial officers and others not to work. We are taking a dim view. No lawyer can compel another to leave the court," the CJI said.Senior Advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Adish Aggarwala too weighed in stating that not even a bar association leader could compel lawyers to observe a strike. However, he added that lawyers have the right to request the Court for observation of a strike."No bar leader also. But they have right to request the court," he said.The CJI, however, disagreed."Not at all! Lawyers cannot say hum aapko aane hi nahi denge. Not done," he said.The Supreme Court had on March 21 taken suo motu cognisance of the assault on Bhatia and Advocate Muskan Gupta at a Greater Noida Court.Bhatia, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, reportedly had his band snatched inside a district court where lawyers were observing a strike.The top court subsequently issued notice to the President of the Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) Bar Association. It also directed the district judge to submit a report and ensure that CCTV footage of the incident is preserved pending further orders.
TAGS: Supreme Court State of Uttar Pradesh CCTV cameras assault Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia Gautam Budh Nagar District Court Complex
