Uniform platform for live streaming| SC asks petitioner to submit suggestions to Secretary General

In the plea seeking to set up a uniform platform for live-streaming of court proceedings, the Supreme Court has directed the petitioner-in-person, Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara to give suggestions to the Secretary General of the Supreme Court as the matter is already being considered on the administrative side.

When Advocate Nedumpara requested the Court as to if he may be permitted to advise the various Chief Justices as well, especially Bombay High Court, CJI Chandrachud allowed the same.

In October 2022, the Supreme Court had issued notice on a petition which sought directions to retain the copyright of the Supreme Court over the live-stream of videos uploaded on YouTube.

While considering the plea, the then CJI, Justice UU Lalit had remarked that Supreme Court was trying to have its own platform for live-streaming.

Notably, in June 2021, the e-Committee of the Supreme Court had released the Draft Model Rules for Live-Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings with the aim to imbue greater transparency, inclusivity and foster access to justice.

Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, then a Supreme Court Judge and Chairperson of e-Committee, had also written a letter to all Chief Justices of the High court calling for the inputs and suggestions on the Draft Model Rules. In the letter, Justice Chandrachud had pressed that the right to access justice guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution encompasses the right to access live Court proceedings.

Recently, Justice AS Oka had remarked that constitutional matters being heard by the Supreme Court of India should be live-streamed.

Talking about allegations of courts being opaque, Justice Oka had said that live streaming would help people see how difficult the lives of lawyers and Judges are and why matters take so long.

Case Title: Mathews J. Nedumpara vs. The Supreme Court of India and Ors