KOCHI: In a major initiative to give its students exposure to court proceedings and the way judiciary functions, the Government Law College Ernakulam will start livestreaming Supreme Court and Kerala High Court proceedings, becoming the first law college in the country to do so.
The college, which celebrates its 150th anniversary next year, has its alumni Musthafa Zafeer O V and Almana Zafeer, a Dubai-based lawyer couple, to thank for the facility. Their global law and consulting firm, Musthafa & Almana, is sponsoring the initiative.
“Government Law College Ernakulam has the distinction of giving the SC and Kerala HC some of their most reputed judges. But, more recently we have seen students lacking the confidence and who prefer studying in upcoming private law colleges outside the state. We believe the livestream will help students better understand the proceedings and give them the much-needed confidence,” said Musthafa.
The facility will be inaugurated by Justice Shaji P Chaly, judge of the Kerala HC, on March 18, and the first livestream will be on March 20. Chief Justice of India Justice D Y Chandrachud, who has been the most vocal advocate of livestreaming court proceedings, is also the chairperson of the SC’s e-committee.
While various HCs livestream proceedings on YouTube, this will be the first time that the proceedings of both an HC and the SC are livestreamed in a college. Bindu M Nambiar, principal of the Ernakulam Law College, said the livestreaming will play a big role in providing our students with much-needed exposure to the proceedings of the courts.
“Our students don’t get an opportunity to go to the Supreme Court. But this facility will provide them with just that,” she said. ‘His Highness The Maharaja’s Government Law College, Ernakulam’, as the college was originally named, is the first institution of legal learning in Kerala, and perhaps in the country. “Our objective is to raise the Government Law College Ernakulam into a ‘centre of excellence’ with students considering it as an honour to study in this institution,” said Almana.
According to Bindu, the facility, comprising projector and associated devices, will be set up in a hall on the campus. “There won’t be any seating arrangements. Any student who has free time can come and view the proceedings,” she said.
Bindu said, “Students do get some exposure to court proceedings during their internship programmes, that include court visits. However, to help them understand the proceedings in the SC and HC, they will be guided by their internship teachers, in the case of junior students, and for the final year students, the teachers associated with court visits will provide the needed guidance.”
Students are elated. Aditya S Sahadevan, a final-year student, said, “We have always been at a disadvantage when it comes to visiting or taking part in SC proceedings. It was a privilege enjoyed by students of law universities. This facility will place us on an equal footing with those students.”
First livestream set for March 20
Facility to be inaugurated on March 18. First livestream will be on March 20
Various HCs livestream proceedings on YouTube, but this will be the first time that proceedings of both an HC and the SC are livestreamed in a college