Supreme Court to livestream cases of constitutional, national importance

The Supreme Court decided on Wednesday it would start live-streaming some of its cases in a bid to increase transparency and prevent overcrowding in the courtrooms.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, ruling on litigation seeking such a move, said a pilot project would be launched and developed over time.

“Live-streaming of court proceedings is manifestly in public interest,” the apex court said in its 106-page order. “It can epitomize transparency, good governance and accountability, and more importantly, open the vista of the court rooms.”

At first, only a few specific cases of constitutional and national importance, and are being argued before a constitution bench, will be live-streamed, after obtaining consent from the litigants.

Initially. the video will be streamed to screens in other areas within the court complex. The plan would later allow livestreaming over the internet.

The court asked the central government to frame rules for the project, said Shraddha Deshmukh, a government lawyer.

The top court said that sensitive cases such as those dealing with matrimonial disputes or sexual assault will be excluded.

“We hold that the cause brought before this court by the protagonists in larger public interest, deserves acceptance so as to uphold the constitutional rights of public and the litigants in particular,” the bench said, in two different but concurring judgements. “Above all, sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Justice Chandrachud wrote.