SC seeks reply of attorney general in a plea for live streaming of important cases

The Supreme court bench headed by CJI Dipak Misra has on Friday sought the assistance of attorney general K K Venugopal with respect to a petition filed by senior advocate Indira Jaising seeking live streaming of court proceedings of matters of national importance. The public interest litigation was filed on 18 January, stating that live streaming and videography of proceedings of the apex court in matters of great public importance would be in keeping with the principle of “ open access to justice” and would ensure “ justice is not only done but is seen to be done” . It further said that live streaming of cases of constitutional and national importance would empower and provide access to ordinary citizens who could not personally go to the court due to social and economic constraints, even though the decision would impact them. Jaising further told the court that such an exercise of live streaming of case would inspire confidence in the functioning of the judiciary as an institution and help to maintain the respect that it deserves. He said that live streaming would also end any chances of misreporting, errors or spread of second-hand information. Constitutional matters are those matters that affect every citizen's right, such as cases like environmental matters, triple talaq, air pollution, ban on firecrackers to prevent air and noise pollution, ban on liquor to prevent deaths. All these cases affect the general public, and hence, the proceedings of all such cases should be made live. Petitioner Indira Jaising also stated how other countries, including Canada, Australia, Britain, New Zealand and South Africa, the European Court of Human Rights, and the International Criminal Court, permit varying degrees of recording of court proceedings. Jaising contended that if live streaming of court proceedings is not possible then alternatively video recording should be permitted, that shall in a way bring transparency and accessibility in the administration of justice. The Supreme court in a bid to usher in transparency had earlier allowed the installation of CCTV video recording with audio in trial courts and tribunals.