Live Reporting And Tweeting Of Court Proceedings : Delhi HC Sends Questionnaire To Journalists Inviting Suggestions

The Delhi High Court has now invited inputs from all accredited journalists covering its proceedings on whether accreditation be made mandatory for court reporting and if accreditation should make way for journalists to carry phone/ electronic communication device to the court or to engage in live text messaging/ communication/ online publications from the court.

A questionnaire has been sent out in this regard to all accredited journalists, seeking response within two weeks.

The questionnaire has been prepared by a committee constituted by Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal under the chair of Justice (Retd) Ruma Pal on “Media Reporting in Courts – Balancing Free Press, Fair Trial and Integrity of Judicial Proceedings”.

On Tuesday, the high court had issued a public notice with a similar questionnaire inviting suggestions from general public on various aspects, including whether journalists should be allowed to send out live tweets of court proceedings.

In its questions sent to accredited high court reporters, the committee has asked if accreditation be made mandatory and the qualification required for the same.

It also asks if there should be a separate seating arrangement for accredited reporters and if the same should be within the courtroom between bar and the bench, or at the back.

In June, Justice Mittal had constituted a committee to recommend measures to balance free press, fair trial and integrity of judicial proceedings and how court proceedings should be covered by media in Delhi.

The committee comprises Justice Pal, Justice Manmohan of Delhi High Court, retired Justice G Raghavan (director, National Judicial Academy), retired IAS officer SC Panda, Arghya Sengupta (research director, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy), Dayan Krishnan and advocate Bharat Chugh.