Patna: Security at the Patna High Court has been significantly strengthened following new directives that introduce stricter entry protocols and mandatory screening measures across the judicial complex.
In a move described as unprecedented, advocates will now be required to present valid identity cards or authorised passes to enter the premises. Lawyers without proper documentation will be denied entry, marking a departure from earlier, more lenient access norms.
The high court administration has also made it compulsory for vehicles belonging to advocates to display sticker passes. Two-wheelers and four-wheelers without these stickers will not be allowed inside the premises or permitted to park within the complex.
The decision was finalised during a meeting of the High Court Security Committee held last month, where officials carried out a comprehensive review of existing arrangements and identified gaps in security infrastructure.
Under the revised guidelines, all individuals entering the premises—including advocates, their clerks (munshis) and visitors—will be subject to security checks, physical frisking and baggage screening.
A formal notice outlining the changes has been issued by the Registrar General to the court’s three advocates’ associations, urging strict compliance with the updated protocols.
The heightened measures come amid a series of bomb threats reported at courts across Bihar in recent months, including an incident at the Patna civil court. While investigations in those cases did not uncover any explosives, the threats disrupted proceedings and prompted authorities to take preventive action to strengthen security.
