Ayodhya verdict: Allahabad high court works out security drill

As authorities across the country brace for the fall out of Ayodhya verdict, the court which will pronounce the eagerly awaited judgement this Friday too is leaving nothing to chance on security preparedness.

Judges at the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court and lawyers have worked out a plan to impose strict restrictions on movement of people in the court premises on September 23 and 24.

The security for the three judges related to the case -- justices SU Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and DV Sharma -- has also been almost doubled, sources in the Oudh Bar Association (OBA) said. Force deployment at their residences has also been increased keeping in view the sensitive nature of the case, they said.

A high-level meeting of senior judges, including justice Pradeep Kant and Justice Umanath Singh, OBA representatives and designated senior advocates was held here to finetune the
plan to ensure there was no law and order problem in the court
premises on the eve of verdict and on the judgement day.

CRPF, PAC and civil police in large numbers are already present in strength in and outside the court premises keeping a hawk's vigil. 

OBA sources said as per the drill to impose restrictions on the movement of people in the court premises on September 23 and 24, the lawyer members of the Association may be issued special Identity cards.

Another proposal made is that litigants and advocates coming from other districts in connection with cases listed on these two days should be issued separate passes for gaining entry.

It has been suggested that barring the vehicles of the OBA members (with passes) no other vehicle should be allowed
in the parking lot of the court which has nine gates, sources
said, adding that outside the gates only vehicles of security
agencies should be permitted to be parked.

For other vehicles, the administration will be asked to make parking arrangements elsewhere. 

The meeting has resolved to cooperate with the administration and police in the security arrangements and make changes, if required, in consultation with them. 

An official notice for these arrangements is likely to be put up tomorrow after getting an approval from the chief justice of the Allahabad high court justice SI Rebello who is also expected to stay on in Lucknow till September 24, sources said.

Security has also been stepped up in and around the "Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri mosque section" created separately in the
court premises ever since the 60-year-old suit had been pending in the court for keeping records, documents and books relating to the case.

There could also be a restriction on the entry of lawyers and media in the court hall where the verdict would be pronounced and that only counsels of the parties concerned would be allowed entry, sources added.