GUWAHATI: In a significant development in the judicial system of the Northeast, the Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court commenced live-streaming of court proceedings from Monday, thereby becoming the third constitutional court from the region to live-stream its proceedings after Gauhati (Principal Bench) and Meghalaya High Courts.
The streaming, being telecast on the official YouTube channel – eCourts Nagaland – will be governed by the Gauhati High Court (Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings) Rules, 2022.
The move, which aims to implement the open court concept, and comes two months after the Supreme Court started live-streaming the proceedings on YouTube, is considered a major push towards transparency, inclusivity and accessibility in the judicial system.
Such live streaming will enable access to real time court proceedings, including matters of public interest, to the civil society, academia, law students and journalists, and help them understand the functioning of courts better.
Notably, the Gujarat High Court was the first High Court to live-stream its proceedings last year. It was followed by several High Courts across the nation such as Gauhati High Court (Principal Bench), Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and Patna high courts.
The Telangana High Court had also decided to start live-streaming of its proceedings on a test-basis from October 10. Last month, the Meghalaya High Court also began streaming its proceedings live on YouTube.
The initiatives to live stream Court hearings were taken pursuant to the decision of the Supreme Court in Swapnil Tripathi versus Supreme Court of India (2018).
The Supreme Court has also started live-streaming the proceedings of the Constitution Benches from September this year.
The court proceedings were streamed for the first time on YouTube when Justice N.V. Ramana, the former CJI, graced a ceremonial Bench on the eve of his retirement in August 2022.
EASTMOJO PREMIUM
Help sustain honest journalism.
The apex court had last month said that it was exploring the idea of even setting up a national platform for live-streaming, which can be used by High Courts as well.
A bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli made an oral statement while hearing a petition seeking a uniform platform for live-streaming.
The bench told the petitioner that the court was trying to take steps to institutionalise the directions issued in the 2018 Swapnil Tripathi case judgment.
Also read | PM Modi to visit Shillong for NEC Golden Jubilee celebrations on Dec 18