CHENNAI: In an unprecedented move, CCTV cameras have been installed in the court hall of the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. A court administration official said a full bench of the High Court took the decision in view of the recent unruly protests by a section of advocates last week. Four cameras, two placed behind the seats of judges and two covering the visitors’ gallery, have been placed in the court hall. Significantly, the Union Law Ministry has already mooted the idea of live recording of all court proceedings for greater transparency in courts. While the judiciary has been generally against the idea of live recording, the decision of the Madras High Court to install the CCTV cameras could set a precedent.
Last week, a two-member bench of the High Court ordered video recordings of contempt proceedings against two Madurai-based advocates, which witnessed vigorous protests by Madurai advocates on the corridors of the High Court.
In July, the Calcutta High Court, perhaps for the first time in Indian legal history, ordered installation of a video camera and a microphone for recording the court proceedings. Justice Aniruddha Bose issued the order on a plea of an advocate that his arguments do not get properly recorded due to frequent interruptions by the opposite counsel. Internationally, many countries mandatorily record all court proceedings and and make it available to the public to enhance accountability of the judiciary. However, it is unclear whether the recordings made in the cameras installed in the Chief Justice’s court hall will be accessible for public under the RTI Act.