Some witnesses had earlier refused to appear in court, fearing threat to their lives. PFI workers had allegedly hacked to death a former PMK district secretary in Thanjavur.
She retired as chief justice of J&K High Court in December 2020. Since then, she has been called on by the Supreme Court in at least two matters, and made head of several committees.
Under present definition, only a witness deposing in a criminal case is treated as 'vulnerable'. In order issued 8 April, SC allowed use of Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centres for other jurisdictions too.
While Maharashtra has highest number of vulnerable witness deposition centres, UP, West Bengal, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and some other states are yet to set up even one.
We now live in a world order that will keep shifting. India must use this window. This also means we remain disciplined enough not to be knee-jerked into reacting to what Pakistan sees as its moment in the sun.
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