Mobile ban in ​Bombay ​high court upsets many

As the Mumbai Police deployed at the Bombay High Court started​ ​effective implementation of the court​'​ s notice imposing complete ban on use and carrying of mobile phones inside court rooms, ​it ​affected the​ ​general public, litigants, media persons and government office staff wo attended court on Wednesday.

Policemen, who were normally posted at the three entry gates of the​ ​court, were withdrawn and posted outside court rooms and were stopping entry of general public inside court rooms. Senior​ ​Police Inspector, Keshav Shengale who is in-charge of security at the high court said “I have advised my staff to politely request everyone​ ​to cooperate in implementation of the order.”

A group of registered clerks who keep juggling from one court to​ ​another met the Registrar General, to air their grievances on the ban which was acting as a hindrance in their work. An official said a​ ​senior advocate even got into a verbal argument with the policemen who stopped his clerk from entering the court room with the mobile phone.

​Court staff has ​also ​been informed to keep checking on civilians​ ​managing to sneak their phones inside court room and confiscate them.

On February 13, the high court issued a notice stating that "All​ ​parties are hereby informed that they shall not take any mobile phone, audio video recording systems inside court room and record​ ​proceedings."  People will have to make their own arrangements to keep them outside the court and high court administration will not be​ ​responsible. The defaulter will be liable to fine; instruments will be​ ​confiscated and will be liable for action under contempt of courts​ ​act.

Meanwhile, an advocate has filed Public interest litigation before the​ ​Bombay high court to challenge the ban on ​m​obile phones inside court rooms. The PIL filed by Advocate Vinod Gangwal says that order would​ ​inconvenience honest people. "A mobile phone is necessity of the day.

All the responsible persons who come to the court in want of Justice​ ​are aware or they are made aware that in the court premises mobiles should not be used," he says. It adds that in other high courts such a​ ​ban does not exist.

Seeking the setting aside of the circular the PIL says "Lawyers will​ ​not be in a position to communicate to the client for urgent messages.

Client will not be in a position to communicate their urgent​ ​messages." "Sometimes the court asks lawyers to call clients immediately but in the absence of mobile phones this would not be​ ​possible. World is moving towards paperless and sometimes a client brings hundreds of photos on mobile phones, lawyers select one or two​ ​from those, then it will be very cumbersome to carry all documents and​ ​photos.