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NEW DELHI: Taking a giant step towards more openness and unleashing “the transparency revolution”, the Indian judicial system on Saturday for the first time embarked on live-streaming of its court functioning with Chief Justice N V Ramana launching live-streaming of Gujarat High Court proceedings and assuring that Supreme Court will start it soon.
The Supreme Court had 2018 held that live telecast of important cases would usher in greater transparency and three years after its order a committee headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud, finalised draft rules for live-streaming and recording of court proceedings.
Launching the system for live-streaming of the proceedings in Gujarat HC, Justice Ramana said judicial system had always been open as people are allowed to witness court proceedings but with live streaming the access to justice will become a true reality, when litigants and interested parties get to witness, understand and comprehend justice dispensation first hand.
He said that live streaming will also remove multiple incorrect notions in the minds of the public regarding the justice delivery system as they would be able to get first hand information and without being filtered by agents of transmission which vested interests sometimes use to spread misinterpretations in order to embarrass or discredit the institution.
“It is this lack of direct access which gives space for misconceptions. The formalisation of the live streaming of court proceedings is the best cure for the aforesaid malady. Livestreaming of proceedings is crucial for dissemination of information which is a sacrosanct aspect of Article 19. Through such direct access, the people can get first-hand information about the entire proceedings and the opinions of the judges, leaving little room for any mischief,” he said.
The CJI said that judges might feel the pressure of public scrutiny due to live streaming which may ultimately result in a stressful environment. He, however, said, “a judge must remember, even if justice commands standing up against the popular perception, he must do so out of his commitment to the oath he took under the Constitution”. “A judge cannot be swayed by popular opinion. Yes, with increased public gaze, he might become a subject of multiple debates, that should never deter him from his duty to protect the right of one against the might of many. Always remember, as a repository of people’s faith, a judge cannot afford to lose objectivity,” he said..
“The Committee under the leadership of brother Chandrachud is playing a wonderful role in bringing all the courts on board to unleash the transparency revolution with the aid of modern technology. As I have stated earlier while launching access of online proceedings of the supreme court to the media, we are keen to start live proceedings atleast for some of the courts in the supreme court. We are working out the logistics and working on consensus of the full court. With the aid of modern technologies, I am given to understand that we can introduce this live streaming feature in a cost effective manner without imposing much of a burden on the exchequer,” the CJI said.
The Supreme Court had 2018 held that live telecast of important cases would usher in greater transparency and three years after its order a committee headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud, finalised draft rules for live-streaming and recording of court proceedings.
Launching the system for live-streaming of the proceedings in Gujarat HC, Justice Ramana said judicial system had always been open as people are allowed to witness court proceedings but with live streaming the access to justice will become a true reality, when litigants and interested parties get to witness, understand and comprehend justice dispensation first hand.
He said that live streaming will also remove multiple incorrect notions in the minds of the public regarding the justice delivery system as they would be able to get first hand information and without being filtered by agents of transmission which vested interests sometimes use to spread misinterpretations in order to embarrass or discredit the institution.
“It is this lack of direct access which gives space for misconceptions. The formalisation of the live streaming of court proceedings is the best cure for the aforesaid malady. Livestreaming of proceedings is crucial for dissemination of information which is a sacrosanct aspect of Article 19. Through such direct access, the people can get first-hand information about the entire proceedings and the opinions of the judges, leaving little room for any mischief,” he said.
The CJI said that judges might feel the pressure of public scrutiny due to live streaming which may ultimately result in a stressful environment. He, however, said, “a judge must remember, even if justice commands standing up against the popular perception, he must do so out of his commitment to the oath he took under the Constitution”. “A judge cannot be swayed by popular opinion. Yes, with increased public gaze, he might become a subject of multiple debates, that should never deter him from his duty to protect the right of one against the might of many. Always remember, as a repository of people’s faith, a judge cannot afford to lose objectivity,” he said..
“The Committee under the leadership of brother Chandrachud is playing a wonderful role in bringing all the courts on board to unleash the transparency revolution with the aid of modern technology. As I have stated earlier while launching access of online proceedings of the supreme court to the media, we are keen to start live proceedings atleast for some of the courts in the supreme court. We are working out the logistics and working on consensus of the full court. With the aid of modern technologies, I am given to understand that we can introduce this live streaming feature in a cost effective manner without imposing much of a burden on the exchequer,” the CJI said.
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