Soon, smart cards to access Delhi’s courts

Delhi courts to enhance security with access-controlled gates and smart cards for advocates, following security breaches. Tender worth ₹14.62 crore floated.

The Public Works Department (PWD) has planned access-controlled gates and smart cards for advocates in an attempt to enhance security at the Delhi high court and the seven lower courts across the city, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday, adding that a tender has been floated for the same.

PWD will initially distribute around 150,000 access cards to lawyers

The department is likely to set up 50 access gates — eight each at Tis Hazari, Karkardooma, and Patiala House, six each at Dwarka, Saket and Rohini, and four each at Rouse Avenue and Delhi high court — and will initially distribute around 150,000 access cards to lawyers, the officials said.

The number of access cards may be increased as per needs.

“There have been security breaches in court complexes, after which many cases were also filed asking courts to regulate the entry of advocates. There have been court orders, and the issue has been raised multiple times since the September 2021 shootout at Rohini court (in which gangster Jitender Gogi was shot dead),” a PWD official said, on condition of anonymity.

“We already have security personnel and scanners at gates, but similar incidents are reported every year,” the official said.

The tender, floated by PWD on Monday, states that the entire work is expected to cost around ₹14.62 crore, which will include the installation of access gates, pole-mounted card readers-cum-controllers, device configuration software, and access cards.

After the tender is awarded, the contractor will be given two months to implement the system, officials said.

“We will ask the selected contractor to provide around 150,000 cards initially. If required, 50,000 additional cards will also have to be kept ready. We will increase the requirement if needed,” said the official quoted above, adding that the cards will be handed over to bar associations for distribution as per their criteria.

Responding to the development, Delhi High Court Bar Association president and senior advocate Mohit Mathur said that the installation of access gates was one of the suggestions after a series of security incidents at district courts.

“With smart cards, everyone who enters the court precincts would need an identification. This is currently only needed for entering the courtrooms,” Mathur said.

He added that there is already a distribution plan for the cards once the system is implemented.

“Bar associations will identify the record of every advocate, and advocates can choose the bar association to which he or she would forward the application. The card will give lawyers access to all the courts,” Mathur said.

(With inputs from Shruti Kakkar)