No Proposal Initiated To Live Stream Court Proceedings: Madras High Court Says In RTI Reply

In an RTI response, the Madras High Court has stated that it has not taken steps to implement the Supreme Court's directions regarding the live-streaming of court proceedings.

"Policy decision has not yet been taken by the High Court of Madras to provide public viewing of the Court Proceedings," stated the Madras High Court

The Court said that the virtual hearings are being conducted through Microsoft Teams platform. It is further stated in the reply that as per the video conferencing rules, except in proceedings which are ordered to be held in-camera, the Court shall endeavour to provide public viewing subject to availability of the bandwith.

"However, policy decision has not yet been taken by the High Court of Madras regarding live-streaming of court proceedings", the reply given by the Public Information Officer of the Court said.

This response has come on the RTI application filed by Saurav Das, an independent journalist who sought a response as to what actions have been taken to live stream the Court proceedings pursuant to the Supreme Court's directions in the case of Swapnil Tripathi v. Supreme Court of India, whereby the Supreme Court had decided to live-stream Court proceedings in the larger public interest.

"Sunlight is the best disinfectant", a five-Judge Bench had observed.

India To Get Virtual Access To Courtroom Proceedings: Read SC Directions On Live Streaming

After Gujarat High Court last year announced that it would commence live streaming of Court proceedings on YouTube, the Karnataka High Court on May 31 begin live-streaming proceedings on Youtube on a trial basis.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court & Allahabad High Court are also hearing the pleas by legal journalists who have moved the High Courts seeking permission for Live-streaming and Live-reporting.