Live-stream of court proceedings: SC to hear plea for implementing verdict

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would hear after two weeks an application for implementation of its 2018 verdict allowing live-streaming of court proceedings of cases of constitutional and national importance.

The matter was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising told the bench, also comprising justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, that she has filed an application seeking directions to implement the directives given by the apex court in its September 26, 2018 verdict.

"The judgement indicates the way forward," Jaising told the bench, adding the schedule to implement the mechanism was set out in the 2018 verdict itself.

The bench said the application would be heard after two weeks.

The top court had in 2018 delivered a verdict allowing the live-streaming of court proceedings of cases of constitutional and national importance, saying this openness would be like "sunlight" which is the "best disinfectant".

It had said as a pilot project, only a specified category of cases, which are of constitutional or national importance and are being argued before a constitution bench, should be allowed for live-streaming.

The apex court had said the sensitive cases such as those of matrimonial disputes or sexual assaults should not be live-streamed.

It had said for live-streaming of proceedings, the permission of concerned court will have to be sought in writing, in advance, in conformity with the prescribed procedure.

It, however, had added that "the concerned court would retain its power to revoke the permission at any stage of the proceedings suo motu (on its own) or on an application filed by any party to the proceeding, if the situation so warrants".

It had said till a full-fledged module and mechanism for live-streaming of the court proceedings of the apex court over the internet is evolved, the first phase of live streaming would start from designated areas in the top court.