<p class="title rtejustify">Video recording and live streaming of judicial proceedings can be undertaken on a trial basis in constitutional matters being heard by the Supreme Court, the Centre said on July 23.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra was told by Attorney General K K Venugopal, whose assistance has been sought by the court in the matter, that a pilot project for live streaming and video recording of judicial proceedings can be undertaken.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Venugopal then said functioning of the pilot project can be later analysed and made more efficient.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">He added that live streaming can be undertaken on an experimental basis for one-three months to ascertain how it functions technologically.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, asked all the parties, including senior advocate Indira Jaising, who had filed a PIL in her personal capacity, to give suggestions to the attorney general of India.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">It said Venugopal will collate and compile the suggestions and submit them to the court which will later approve them.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The bench has now fixed the matter for further hearing on July 30.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">On July 9, the apex court had termed the proposal of live streaming of court proceedings the "need of the hour" and sought suggestions for taking a "holistic" view on the matter.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The bench 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.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Jaising, in her plea, has sought live streaming of matters of constitutional and national importance. She said citizens have the right to information and matters of constitutional and national importance can be live streamed.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">In western countries, she said, this system was in place and live streaming of court proceedings, including that of the International Court of Justice, are available on YouTube.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">If live streaming of the top court's proceedings is not possible, then video recording should be allowed, she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">According to her, live streaming of Supreme Court cases of constitutional and national importance, having an impact on the public at large, will empower and provide access to citizens who cannot personally come to the court due to socio-economic constraints.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The apex court may place restrictions on such videography and live streaming of proceedings in cases where there are "countervailing interests of privacy as in family law cases, criminal law cases, as well as in the interests of witness testimonies in criminal matters", Jaising said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">A petition, filed by a law student, has also sought a direction for setting up live streaming rooms within the apex court premises and granting access to legal interns.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The plea, filed by Swapnil Tripathi, a student of National Law University in Jodhpur, has asked for requisite guidelines to facilitate interns to witness proceedings. </p>
<p class="title rtejustify">Video recording and live streaming of judicial proceedings can be undertaken on a trial basis in constitutional matters being heard by the Supreme Court, the Centre said on July 23.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra was told by Attorney General K K Venugopal, whose assistance has been sought by the court in the matter, that a pilot project for live streaming and video recording of judicial proceedings can be undertaken.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Venugopal then said functioning of the pilot project can be later analysed and made more efficient.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">He added that live streaming can be undertaken on an experimental basis for one-three months to ascertain how it functions technologically.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, asked all the parties, including senior advocate Indira Jaising, who had filed a PIL in her personal capacity, to give suggestions to the attorney general of India.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">It said Venugopal will collate and compile the suggestions and submit them to the court which will later approve them.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The bench has now fixed the matter for further hearing on July 30.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">On July 9, the apex court had termed the proposal of live streaming of court proceedings the "need of the hour" and sought suggestions for taking a "holistic" view on the matter.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The bench 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.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Jaising, in her plea, has sought live streaming of matters of constitutional and national importance. She said citizens have the right to information and matters of constitutional and national importance can be live streamed.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">In western countries, she said, this system was in place and live streaming of court proceedings, including that of the International Court of Justice, are available on YouTube.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">If live streaming of the top court's proceedings is not possible, then video recording should be allowed, she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">According to her, live streaming of Supreme Court cases of constitutional and national importance, having an impact on the public at large, will empower and provide access to citizens who cannot personally come to the court due to socio-economic constraints.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The apex court may place restrictions on such videography and live streaming of proceedings in cases where there are "countervailing interests of privacy as in family law cases, criminal law cases, as well as in the interests of witness testimonies in criminal matters", Jaising said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">A petition, filed by a law student, has also sought a direction for setting up live streaming rooms within the apex court premises and granting access to legal interns.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The plea, filed by Swapnil Tripathi, a student of National Law University in Jodhpur, has asked for requisite guidelines to facilitate interns to witness proceedings. </p>