NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has emphasised that thorough groundwork is essential before expanding live streaming of judicial proceedings, cautioning that issuing sweeping directives could compromise the quality, confidentiality, and security of the judicial process.
Justice Sachin Datta referred to a prior ruling by a coordinate bench, which acknowledged that the Delhi High Court, in its administrative capacity, has been actively addressing the logistical and infrastructural challenges involved in implementing or extending live streaming of court proceedings.
Recognising the infrastructural constraints associated with the initiative, the Court observed that also, importantly, the initiation/expansion of live streaming must be preceded by adequate preparation so as to ensure that the quality and security of judicial proceedings is not compromised. “This is particularly in the light of recent concerns arising on account of misuse of live stream videos by content creators on social media,” it said.
The Court further stressed the necessity of conducting practical assessments and introducing appropriate safeguards before proceeding with any expansion.
Justice Datta dismissed a petition filed by Bharat Bhushan Sharma, who had sought directions for authorities to ensure compliance with Supreme Court and Delhi HC mandates on live streaming and video recording of court proceedings.
The Court noted that the Delhi High Court’s technical committees are already working on expanding live streaming and that imposing rigid timelines without considering technical challenges and resource constraints would be impractical.
“Issuance of any omnibus directions (as sought by the petitioner), regardless of the technical issues and the safeguards that are required to be put in place, could have unintended consequences, potentially undermining the quality, confidentiality, and security of judicial processes,” the Court stated.