Doval briefs SC judges on national security, asks for 'more cooperation' from courts

For the first time ever, the judges of the Supreme Court were briefed by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval about the security of the nation, both internal and external.

According to sources, Doval asked for 'more cooperation' from the courts, and said that "national security should be a non-partisan issue", not viewed from a political perspective. He added that all pillars of democracy need to work together to improve India's internal and external security, and that "delayed justice in terror-related and espionage cases" affects the system.  

Doval briefed the judges during a closed-door session as part of a three-day retreat on the campus of the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal. President Pranab Mukherjee will address the judges today, according to The Indian Express.

Sources said that Doval listed threats to national security and shared information about a 'master plan' to strengthen security. He said that an "integrated synchronised approach" to national security will help make India safer, listing some laws that help strengthen national security, and others that do not.

He also talked about technology as a tool against terrorism, and India's research and development of capabilities to counter different forms of terror.

Doval's briefing to the judges had been opposed a day earlier by advocate Prashant Bhushan, who said that without a similar briefing from human rights organisations, the judges would know only one side of the story.

"We think it may be inappropriate for judges to be briefed only by the NSA in the absence of representatives from human rights organisations offering an alternative perspective from the point of view of how the actions of security agencies impact human rights," Bhushan said.