The Delhi High Court has notified the rules of the Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings of the High Court of Delhi, 2022.
On January 13, the rules were published in the official gazette and would now be applied to the High Court of Delhi, the courts and tribunals over which it has supervisory jurisdiction.
As per the rules, any person can view the proceedings through the live streaming as a webcast, live television link, audio-video transmissions via electronic means or other arrangements.
The court said that other than the subject to the exclusions contained in the rules, all proceedings will be live-streamed by the court.
As the rule book says, if there is a case in which the judge concerned on the bench is not keen to on live streaming while dictating the order/oral judgment, live streaming will be paused during that period.
Whenever such situation arrives, the monitors will display a message like Order dictation in progress.
Incase of the bench rising for recess or otherwise, the live streaming will be paused, and the monitor will display the message: Court not in-session.
What is very important here is that, as per the rules, no individual including those of print and electronic or social media platforms shall record, share or disseminate live-streamed proceedings or archival data.
“This provision shall also apply to all messaging applications. The court shall have the exclusive copyright in the recordings and archival Data. Any infringement on the same shall lead to provision as per law.
It has been clarified that any unauthorised usage of the live stream will be punishable as an offence under the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, Information Technology Act, 2000.
The rules also say that one accessing the live stream will be bound by the rules for not reproducing, transmitting, uploading, posting, modifying, publishing, or re publishing it in any form without the prior written authorisation by the Court.
Court also said that no person shall use a recording device for recording or for transcribing the proceedings, other than those authorised by the Court.
It is also made very clear by the court that all personnel should follow the instructions of the presiding judge, and follow the adhere to courtroom etiquettes
As a rule, the bench may also direct seizure of the communication device or recording device
The transcripts of the recording will be prepared only when directed by the court and may be translated in other scheduled languages.
It was also informed that Recordings uploaded will be made accessible for differently abled persons.