HC disposes PIL for no frisking of lawyers to admin panel

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday disposed of two public interest litigations (PILs) seeking changes in the security apparatus at vital installations after the terror attacks.

The first PIL sought to stop frisking of advocates while entering the high court, while the other sought setting up of an expert committee for studying the effects of radiation on people due to metal detectors.

Division Bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice RS Dalvi, while disposing of the first petition seeking no frisking of advocates, has referred the subject of the PIL to the administrative committee for further decision. The PIL filed by Advocate Manu Paragji Vashi stated that the frisking advocates is unwarranted and a waste of police force. Instead, the policemen should only check the id-cards of the advocates.

Government pleader D Nalawde sighted the case of gangster Ashwin Naik, who was shot dead at the sessions court after the attackers came dressed as lawyers.

The second petition filed by Suryakant Lavte argued that as per data from the internet, radiation from the metal detectors is harmful for the health of children and pregnant women. The bench observed that mobile phones also emit similar radiation.

The petitioner argued that the court should set up an expert committee to probe this. However, the bench observed that the petitioner had not given any reliable research or data to prove his claim, leading to a dismissal.