Live streaming of court proceedings: SC seeks Centre's reply

The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to file its response to pleas seeking live streaming, video recording or transcribing of judicial proceedings in courts.

While seeking the Centre's response within four weeks on the PIL filed by senior Indira Jaising, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra was irked over the contents of a similar petition filed by Mumbai-based lawyer Mathews Nedumpara.

"How can you make such kind of allegations against the judges of the Bombay High Court? This is totally uncalled for," the bench, also comprising justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said.

"Heard. dismissed. Your (Nedumpara) petition is dismissed. Now, you just stop...Enough. Enough," the bench said when the lawyer did not stop arguing even after the order was passed.

When Nedumpara referred to the campaign for transparency in judiciary on social media including WhatsApp, Justice Chandrachud said, "Now, you have talked about social media. Recently, I have come across a message being circulated on WhatsApp that you have made a Bombay High Court judge a party in a case... how can you do this? This is contempt of court."
Attorney General K K Venugopal, who has been asked to assist the court, also supported the dismissal of petition filed by Nedumpara by saying, "If a person has come to the court with unclean hands, then he should withdraw the petition and file a fresh petition."