Terming the proposal of live streaming of court proceedings as the "need of the hour", the Supreme Court today agreed with the Centre's suggestion that the telecast of judicial proceedings can be undertaken and sought suggestions for taking a "holistic" view on the matter.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, which had asked Attorney General K K Venugopal to assist it, was suggested by the top law officer that live streaming of court proceedings would benefit all, including the litigants and the lawyers.
Venugopal told the bench, which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said in many countries, the courts have the system of live streaming the proceedings besides transcribing them.
He, however, said it would not be practical to stream every case and guidelines may be laid to decide the important cases which can be telecast.
Calling it the "need of the hour", the bench took note of the suggestions of Venugopal and asked the parties to give their suggestions to him for framing comprehensive guidelines which may be later approved by it.
"In India, we have an open court system till the court is converted into in-camera. Where there is an open court hearing, litigants are entitled to know the progress in their case. The concept of access to justice provides that though a litigant is not in court, they are able to know what is happening in their case in the court," the bench said.
It was of the view that barring few exceptions like hearings in a rape case, the courts are already open for all and allowing live streaming of the proceedings would further establish the settled principle.
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"We have open courts in India. Once we have accepted the concept of an open court model, by extrapolating, we are only effectively extending the principle of an open court," the bench said.
It fixed the pleas, including the one filed by senior advocate Indira Jaising, for further hearing on July 23.
Referring to the plea that such broadcast would help in disciplining the lawyers, the bench said, "each member of the Bar must train themselves to be disciplined ...We are not being critical of the Bar. We have come here from the Bar but, how many times do lawyers seek adjournment in cases would also be known to the clients."
"A litigant is entitled to know as to how matters are dealt in the courts...," the bench said, adding "there has to be performance (by lawyers), neither over performance nor under-performance."
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