Chandigarh, Feb 17: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has instructed both the Union of India and the Punjab government to conduct a fresh evaluation of the threat perception regarding senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia. Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri ordered that these assessments be submitted to the court in a sealed cover by the next hearing on March 6.
During the proceedings on Tuesday, the court mandated that the state government maintain sufficient security for the leader in the interim. The bench noted that while legal and administrative reviews are conducted, the safety of the individual must remain a priority.
“It is further directed that till the next date of hearing fixed before this Court, the State of Punjab shall ensure that the petitioner is adequately protected,” Justice Puri asserted.
Counsel representing Majithia, including senior advocate RS Cheema, argued that the leader continues to face a serious risk to his life. They referenced intelligence inputs from January suggesting that extremist organizations had planned to target him. It was also noted that Majithia had previously been under Z+ security cover for several years due to these persistent risks.
The State of Punjab, represented by Additional Advocate-General Chanchal Singla, stated that 15 security personnel are currently assigned to the leader. However, the state expressed no objection to forming a committee to re-evaluate the current situation.
Representing the Centre, Additional Solicitor-General Satya Pal Jain also agreed to the fresh assessment. “Union of India shall freshly assess the threat perception of the petitioner and submit the report before this Court on the next date of hearing in a sealed cover,” the court declared.
