The Uttar Pradesh government informed the Supreme Court on Monday that it has released approximately ₹82 crore for installing new CCTV cameras in district court premises across the state.

The submission was made before a bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and K. Vinod Chandran, which is hearing a suo motu case titled "Assault on Two Members of the Supreme Court Bar Association at District Court Complex, Gautam Budh Nagar."

"The state has released about ₹82 crore for the installation of new CCTVs," stated the counsel representing the government.

Taking note of the matter, the Supreme Court issued a fresh notice to the president and secretary of the Janpad Dewani & Faujdari Bar Association, Gautam Budh Nagar. The notice was prompted after the lawyer representing the office bearers informed the court about instructions to withdraw the vakalatnama (power of attorney).

The bench warned that if the president and secretary of the bar association fail to appear before the court on February 17, it will proceed with the matter and pass an appropriate order.

The Supreme Court had earlier sought the government's response on April 1, 2023, after a report from the Gautam Budh Nagar district judge revealed that existing CCTV cameras in court premises were non-functional due to a lack of maintenance funds.

The case originated from an incident on March 20, 2024, when senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia was allegedly manhandled in the Gautam Budh Nagar district court during a lawyers' strike. Expressing concern over the incident and the failure to identify those responsible, the top court directed the district judge to preserve CCTV footage and registered a suo motu petition.

Additionally, a woman lawyer alleged she was also manhandled in a different courtroom while appearing in a case.

The Supreme Court underscored that the strike by members of the bar adversely impacted litigants, who are vital stakeholders in the justice system.