The Karnataka High Court has introduced strict guidelines for live-streaming of judicial proceedings to prevent unauthorised sharing of clips on social media platforms.
The incident stems from remarks made by a single judge recently. These comments, made during a live-streamed hearing, sparked widespread criticism after video clips went viral.
To address this, the High Court has issued a note titled, “Prohibitions and Restrictions on Usage of the Recording or Live Stream,” which is now displayed at the beginning of live-streamed sessions.
The note prohibits any unauthorised recording, sharing, or dissemination of live-streamed proceedings and archival data, including on social media and messaging platforms. Only authorised individuals or entities are permitted to handle such recordings.
The court also warned that anyone found violating these rules would face legal consequences under the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and contempt of court laws.
Further, the note underscores the court’s exclusive copyright over its recordings and mandates that the use of authorised recordings-allowed for news, educational, and training purposes-must not be edited or repurposed for commercial use.
Rule 10(2) of the Karnataka Rules on Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings, 2021, reinforces these restrictions by barring the use of recording devices by unauthorized individuals during hearings.
The changes come after Justice V Srishananda’s remarks, which led to public backlash, prompting the judge to express regret.
Following media reports, the Supreme Court has taken note of the issue and asked the High Court Registrar General to file a detailed report on the matter.
The Advocates’ Association of Bengaluru has also called for a temporary halt on live-streaming and urged judges to exercise greater sensitivity during proceedings.
They raised concerns that certain YouTube channels had exaggerated the judge’s comments, attaching misleading titles to the content.
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