Live-Streaming : Trying To Have A National Infrastructure Which HCs Can Also Use, Says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that it is trying to set up a national platform for live-streaming, which can be used by the High Courts as well.

A bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli said this orally while hearing a petition filed by Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara seeking a uniform platform for live-streaming.

The bench told the petitioner that the Court is trying to take steps to institutionalise the directions issued in the 2018 Swapnil Tripathi case judgment which approved live-streaming of the Court hearings.

"We have said that there should be live-streaming in view of the Swapnil Tripathi judgment. We are now looking at how to institutionalise it.We are trying to have a national infrastructure so that even High Courts and others can use it", Justice Chandrachud said.

The judge, who will take oath as the next Chief Justice of India on November 9, sought suggestions from the petitioner as well regarding proper implementation of the directions for live-streaming.

"You (petitioner) suggest how best it can be implemented. We have some tech-savvy lawyers in SC", Justice Chandrachud told the petitioner.

The petitioner told the bench that he will engage with domain experts so that modalities for live-streaming which would be viable across the country can be adopted.

"Rules for e-streaming have been formulated and many High Courts have adopted. The question is now to have a uniform framework. You consult some good domain experts. I have also asked my team to do so", Justice Chandrachud said.

Last month, the Court had issued notice on a petition which sought directions to retain the Copyright of the Supreme Court over the live-stream videos uploaded in YouTube. While considering that plea, CJI UU Lalit had remarked that Supreme Court is trying to having its own platform for live-streaming.

In September, the Supreme Court took the historic step to commence the live-streaming of the hearings before the Constitution Benches. The live-streaming received huge public response with lakhs of people watching the videos.

Case Title : Mathews J Nedumpara vs Supreme Court| W.P.(C) No. 1259/2019