Delhi judges grapple with rising threats and little protection

Hearing the matter, the Delhi High Court directed the Delhi government, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Delhi Police to hold meetings and file a status report on threats to judicial officers, and to examine security frameworks in states where PSO provisions exist (Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh). It noted that Delhi has more than 800 district judges and that providing round-the-clock PSOs to all would require about 2,400 personnel; currently only about 10 to 12 judges have PSOs, and these are not on a 24/7 basis. A proposal for a 'multitasking PSO' system was suggested to cover inside-court security and travel.

The District Courts Welfare and PSO Committee at Tis Hazari Courts issued a circular asking all judicial officers posted in the Central district to submit details of threats received in relation to discharging their duties, with supporting documents, so that information could be collated for the committee.

Another incident involved a Delhi judge who was allegedly threatened while on an evening walk in the Kakrola area of Dwarka; two unidentified men stopped their car, repeatedly honked to gain attention and then threatened him before fleeing.

A woman judge at the Dwarka court was allegedly verbally abused and threatened in open court by a man she had just convicted in a six-year-old cheque-bounce case. The accused allegedly shouted, "Tu hai kya cheez... tu bahar mil, dekhte hain kaise zinda ghar jaati hai" after the conviction order was pronounced.

In March 2026, the Judicial Service Association of Delhi moved the Delhi High Court seeking enhanced security arrangements, including provision of Personal Security Officers (PSOs) for district judges, arguing that threats are directly linked to the discharge of judicial duties and that current security measures are inadequate.