Friday, Apr 26, 2024 | Last Update : 05:02 PM IST
Supreme Court open to telecast of live proceedings
The AG supported the idea, saying the Supreme Court of India could emulate what happens in various other countries in the world as well.
New Delhi: Observing that “it was the need of the hour”, the Supreme Court on Monday indicated that it was open to the suggestion for live telecast of proceedings as it would ensure transparency and make “access to justice” by a litigant a reality.
A bench of CJI Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud said live streaming of court proceedings would help litigant instantaneously know what happened to his case and how his/ her advocate presented the case. The CJI said, “This would ensure transparency and further serve public interest. Live-streaming and recording of court proceedings will help the public know instantly about the important developments in the court.”
Justice Chandrachud observed “litigant will know how his case is being handled and disposed off by the court; how his lawyer is arguing the case, whether he is seeking adjournment on some pretext or not. This will also help law students as it would become a class room for learning.” When the CJI said “we may begin this experiment from hear (from First court hall), the Attorney General K. K. Venugopal agreed with the CJI and said the experiment must start soon from the CJI’s court and depending upon its functioning for a month, it can be extended to other court halls in the apex court.
The AG supported the idea, saying the Supreme Court of India could emulate what happens in various other countries in the world as well. He said “Let this be taken on an experiment basis...there should be guidelines on which kind of cases could be live telecast or recorded etc. This court could look at those guidelines and tinker them to suit the need.”
The CJI sought suggestions from senior counsel Indira Jaising, the main petitioner and from the bar association members on this issue of live streaming of court proceedings. Ms. Jaising had said courts around the world allowed their proceedings to be recorded, though they differed in their ways. The CJI-headed Bench posted the matter for further hearing on July 23.
