The Kerala High Court has strengthened its security protocols within its premises due to recent security breaches, as outlined in an official notice issued by the High Court.

In addition to the heightened enforcement of baggage and body scanning procedures, especially for individuals who are not lawyers or staff entering the High Court building, the High Court has also chosen to distribute RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards to both lawyers and their clerks.

The following is the comprehensive list of measures that will be implemented:

1. All persons coming with baggage, especially parties -in- person/ litigants, shall scan their baggage at the baggage scanners installed at the entry points before entering the High Court building.

2. If found necessary, persons including parties-in-person/ litigants and those who are issued with pass shall be subjected to frisking by using hand-held metal detectors by the security personnel deployed at the entry points, so as to avert instances of bringing hazardous objects into the building.

3. Persons bringing weapons or such potentially hazardous objects shall be denied entry into the High Court building and the same shall be seized and reported to the local police / returned, depending on the nature of the object attempted to be brought in.

4. Steps are underway to issue RFID cards to Advocates and Advocates' Clerks and also to install the Flap Barrier System. Till the completion of the aforesaid measures, the identity verification procedures implemented, vide High Court Notice cited (1), will continue to be in force.

5. Advocates who are not in robes are required to show their ID Cards at the entry points for identification. Verification of the identity of the person(s) wearing the robes of a Lawyer will be done, only on suspicious circumstances.

6. Advocates' Clerks shall wear Identity Cards, on entering the High Court building.

7.  All Staff Members of the High Court shall wear their Identity Cards conspicuously while entering the High Court premises, so as to enable the Security Personnel to swiftly verify their identity. However, in the event of inadvertent omission in bringing the Identity Card while coming to the Office, the Staff Members shall furnish their name, designation and section to the Security Personnel and shall mark their bio-metric attendance in the thumb reader installed beside the Entry -1 and henceforth such entry shall be restricted to be only through Entry No.1 (Near SBI).

8. All other Stakeholders, including Government officials, except litigants / other visitors shall wear their ID cards or shall be in proper Uniform while entering the High Court.

9. Issuance of pass to outsiders will be restricted to the maximum extent possible. In the case of litigants/party-in-person, persons accompanying the parties shall not be allowed to enter the High Court, except when it is warranted by special circumstances.

10. The Dy. SP (Security), High Court is at liberty to take legal action as per law against persons who are not abiding with the security instructions and using force against the Security Personnel.

Read/Download Notice: Kerala HC strengthens security