Supreme Court Tightens Regulations on Unauthorized Use of Judicial Proceedings
The Supreme Court has mandated measures against unauthorized use of judicial recordings, emphasizing compliance and accountability.
New Delhi, October 30 (Daily Kiran) : The Supreme Court of India has taken a strong stance against the unauthorized use of audio and video recordings of judicial proceedings. On Friday, the court directed the central government to incorporate measures into its policy framework to address violations of interim restrictions on such recordings.
A bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan, instructed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to ensure compliance with interim directives issued by the Supreme Court in July. The Chief Justice emphasized that necessary actions against those who fail to adhere to these directives must be included in the proposed policy framework.
This directive followed a report from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who informed the court that the government is considering suggestions from various high courts and legal professionals to regulate the use of judicial recordings. The government’s second-highest legal officer conveyed that these suggestions have been sent to the Supreme Court registry, and a framework incorporating them will be presented for the court’s consideration. He also mentioned instances of violations of previous directives and suggested that content uploaded in breach of interim restrictions should be removed.
The bench underscored the importance of effectively implementing these directives and stated that appropriate actions should be outlined in the proposed policy framework for non-compliance.
During the proceedings, the Supreme Court also heard arguments regarding digital watermarking, certified recordings, and the permissible use of live-streamed judicial proceedings. These latest directives address concerns about the unauthorized extraction, manipulation, and commercial exploitation of judicial audio and video recordings, particularly on social media and other digital platforms.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had imposed interim restrictions on extracting, broadcasting, monetizing, posting, reposting, uploading, transmitting, modifying, storing, or hosting judicial recordings without prior permission from the Supreme Court’s Secretary General or the Registrar General of the relevant high court. The court clarified that its restrictions would not hinder recognized news media from reporting on judicial proceedings, but such organizations must refrain from using audio or video clips of the proceedings in their coverage.
The Supreme Court has involved all high courts and major social media intermediaries and technology platforms in this matter, seeking their suggestions for adopting ideal rules for live-streaming and recording judicial proceedings. The government has also been instructed to identify the nodal ministries responsible for implementing the relief sought in the petition.
