LI Network
Published on: December 05, 2023 at 13:10 IST
The Karnataka High Court has temporarily suspended the live-streaming of its court proceedings, citing concerns about the recent misuse of the video conference facility.
Chief Justice PB Varale made the announcement before abruptly halting the live stream to the courtroom under his jurisdiction. He emphasized that the decision aims to safeguard the judicial institution and urged all stakeholders to cooperate during this unprecedented situation.
“We are stopping all the live streaming. Videoconference, we are not permitting. Unfortunately, some mischief is being played, there may be something at the level of technology or some people. Don’t immediately rush to the Court Registry and make complaints on ‘why our permission is not granted.’ This is something unfortunate, the situation is unprecedented,” stated Chief Justice Varale, expressing the court’s reliance on technology for public access but emphasizing the need for caution in the current circumstances.
The High Court Registry informed Bar & Bench that the suspension of live streaming across all three benches of the Karnataka High Court at Bengaluru, Dharwad, and Kalaburagi is a precautionary measure for cyber-security reasons.
Earlier in the day, participants in the Zoom meeting, through which court proceedings were being live-streamed, were informed that they would need to disclose their name and the item number of the case they wished to follow to remain in the virtual meeting.
However, after the judges assembled, it was announced that virtual hearings were being suspended altogether.
The move to live-stream court proceedings gained traction following the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment in the Swapnil Tripathi case, permitting live-streaming in cases of Constitutional importance.
The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the adoption of virtual hearings across the country, with High Courts utilizing platforms like YouTube, Zoom, Webex, Google Meet, and others.
However, the recent misuse of the video conference facility prompted the Karnataka High Court to take precautionary measures, temporarily discontinuing live streaming for the safety of the judicial system.