CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has instructed the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (BCTNP) to work out measures, in consultation with the home secretary and the DGP, to prevent recurring attacks on lawyers.
The first bench of Chief Justice KR Shriram and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy on Thursday gave the instruction when a petition filed by BCTNP seeking orders to instal surveillance systems in all the courts along with safety and security measures came up for hearing. Directing the BCTNP to submit its recommendations, the court adjourned the matter to January 23.
The petition was filed in the wake of the brutal assault on a lawyer in Hosur in full public view on Wednesday. It sought action against unruly elements and to provide security in and around all courts across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The petition also sought installation of CCTV cameras and metal detectors to regulate movement of unruly persons.
Advocate S Prabhakaran, appearing for the BCTNP, said murder and assault of advocates have been recurring across the state. Advocate General PS Raman and State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohamed Jinnah promised to take all steps to ensure safety of the lawyers.
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court Advocates Association led by its president G Mohana Krishnan staged a demonstration in front of the court condemning the attack on the lawyer in Hosur and demanding stringent action against those who assault lawyers.