Institutional need to create a safe environment for judicial officers: SC

THERE is an institutional need to create an environment where judicial officers feel safe and secure to address the alarming situation in the country where judicial officers and lawyers are being pressurized and intimidated by threats of, and/or actual violence, the Supreme Court said on Monday.

The observations were made by a Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana-led bench while hearing a suo motu case on the death of an Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) following injuries caused to him after he was hit by an autorickshaw driver during his morning walk in Dhanbad.

The bench which also had Justices Vineet Saran and Surya Kant directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a report before the Jharkhand High Court every week and requested the Chief Justice of the high court to monitor the investigation.

The state government had transferred the investigation to the CBI after the Jharkhand High Court and the Supreme Court took cognisance of the death of the judicial officer.

The Supreme Court also said it would also examine the issue of a safe and secure environment for judicial officers

"Taking into consideration the duty and obligation of the State to create an environment and accord full protection to judicial officers as well as the legal fraternity so that they can perform their duties fearlessly, we deem it appropriate to take up this matter suo motu", the top court had said.