The e-Committee, Supreme Court of India has released the Draft Model Rules for Live-Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings and has invited inputs, feedback and suggestions on it from all the stakeholders. TheDraft Model Rulesare available on the e-committee website [Click the link to Download the Draft Model Rules for Live-Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings https://ecommitteesci.gov.in/document/draft-model-rules-for-live-streaming-and-recording-ofcourt-proceedings/ ). The e-Committee of Supreme Court of India along with the Department of Justice, Government of India is working under the National Policy and Action Plan for implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian Judiciary.
Suggestions and inputs on the Draft Model Rules for Live-Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings can be sent in the following email ID ecommittee@aij.gov.in on or before 30.06.2021.
Dr. Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud,the Supreme Court Judge and Chairperson of e-Committee, has writtena letter to all Chief Justices of the High court calling for the inputs and suggestions on the draft Draft Model Rules for Live-Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings. He mentions in the letter that the right of access to justice, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution encompasses the right to access live court proceedings. To imbue greater transparency, inclusivity and foster access to justice, the e-Committee has undertaken the project of live streaming of court proceedings on priority. This will enable access to live court proceedings, including on matters of public interest to citizens, journalists, civil society, academicians and law students on a real time basis, which was not otherwise possible owing to geographical, logistical or infrastructural issues.
A sub-committee consisting of judges of the Bombay, Delhi, Madras and Karnataka High Courts was constituted to frame model live streaming rules. The sub-committee has held extensive deliberations. It took into account the principles enunciated in the decision of the Supreme Court in Swapnil Tripathi v Supreme Court of India,(2018) 10 SCC 639 including the concerns of privacy and confidentiality of litigants and witnesses, matters relating to business confidentiality, prohibition or restriction of access to proceedings or trials stipulated by Central or State legislation and in some cases to preserve the larger public interest owing to the sensitivity of the case. These model rules provide a balanced regulatory framework for live streaming and recording of court proceedings.
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