Lawyers cheer Supreme Court’s order of CCTV in courts

Mumbai: Advocates and lawyers of the Bombay high court welcomed the Supreme Court’s order to install CCTV cameras in at least two district courts under every high court. They said its time the Indian judiciary brought down the walls of privacy and opened it for public. The lawyers said that like in the US where special channels are set-up to airing court proceedings, it should be done in India too. The lawyers opine that it will bring in transparency and give the common man an insight into court proceedings.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday had directed the 24 high courts in the country to ensure that cameras are installed inside courtrooms as well as in the court precincts within three months. The order however said, “We make it clear that the footage of the CCTV camera will not be available under the Right To Information Act and will not be supplied to anyone without permission of the concerned high court.”

Dr Milind Sathe, president of the Bombay Bar Association said it was a positive move. “It will streamline the proceedings and also ensure that the advocates, parties-in-person and litigants conducted themselves as per the court decorum. Currently, in the absence of any video recording, many visiting parties and lawyers resort to unruly behaviour,” he said. Dr Sathe added that live relay of the proceedings would also deter people from resorting to illegal recording.

Another lawyer Javed Hussein, from Advocates Association of Western India said the order is late but good. “In the US there are dedicated channels that beam court proceedings in criminal matters live. Though there is ambiguity in the SC order as it will only be video recording without audio inputs it is a beginning and we hope that all courts have the facility,” said Mr Hussein.

Advocate Sameer Vaidya said the recordings could be used to educate students as well as give them insight into the courtroom atmosphere. “It will go a long way in disseminating proper informed knowledge to the masses,” Mr Vaidya said.

However, some lawyers said court proceedings could not be compared to soap operas and hence while court recordings could be recorded for future references, beaming them live would ridicule judicial proceedings and should not be allowed.