KN Govindacharya wants live streaming of Ayodhya trial

New Delhi: The RSS ideologue K.N. Govindacharaya has moved the Supreme Court seeking live streaming of the hearing on Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case relating to the ownership of the disputed 2.77 acres of land at Ayodhya.

A five judge constitution bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice S.A. Bobde, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer would commence from August 6, 2019, day-to-day hearing on batch of 13 petitions by the proponents of temple and that of the Masjid.

The petitioners — representing both the sides — have challenged September 30, 2010, Allahabad High Court judgment by which two parts of the disputed site was given to the advocates of temple and one to Sunni Waqf Board.

The PIL is likely to be mentioned for urgent hearing on August 5, 2019, by senior counsel Vikas Singh.

Seeking the implementation of the top court’s September 26, 2018, judgment, the petitioner RSS ideologue has said that there was a large scale interest in the proceedings of the case across the country.  Mr Govindacharya in his PIL has said that the devotees of Lord Rama — whose deity at the disputed site is one of the petitioners before the Supreme Court — are interested in knowing as to “how an individual can represent Lord Ram before the Supreme Court.”

The top court by its September 26, 2018, judgment had accepted the plea for the live streaming of the cases of constitutional and national importance being argued for final hearing before the Constitution Bench. Initially it was to be a pilot project starting with Chief Justice’s court.

Having accepted the plea for the live streaming of the court proceedings of the important cases impacting the public at large, the top court had said that its 2013 Rules would have to be amended to provide for the regulatory framework for holistic live streaming of the court proceedings, without impinging upon the cause of administration of justice in any manner.

The live streaming of the cases, the judgment had said, is subject to the prior consent of all the parties to the concerned proceedings and in case there is no unanimity between the contesting parties them the concerned Court would take a final call taking into account the objects raised by any of the parties.

The discretion exercised by the Court shall be treated as final. It must be non-justiciable and non-appealable, the top court had said by its Septemberv26, 2018, judgment.

However, the judgment said, Court will have the powers to revoke its permission for live streaming of the case at any stage of the proceedings suo motu or on an application filed by any party to the proceeding.