The Karnataka High Court has announced that it would resume the video conference facility during court proceedings on a pilot basis from December 11.
As per the guidelines issued by the High Court Registry on Friday, all Advocates, party-in-persons, litigants, and mediapersons would get themselves compulsorily registered on the Zoom platform as a one-time measure by signup procedure.
Only such registered users would be allowed to join the Video Conference for the Court hall proceedings as signed-in users.
The Advocates, party-in-persons and litigants were directed to put their participant Names as List No. Case no and name.
The guidelines further stated that mediapersons were required to put their name along with the media house which they represented on a mandatory basis.
It said a waiting room has been enabled in all Court halls. Only the participants with the correct case numbers would be allowed to participate in the Court Proceedings.
An advance notice must be sent to the Registrar Judicial requesting permission to join the VC links, in case the participant was attending the proceedings from outside the country, added the guidelines.
Earlier on December 5, the High Court had suspended the live-streaming of its court proceedings on the grounds that the video conference facility was recently misused.
Chief Justice PB Varale had announced the decision in the court on December 5 before the live stream to the courtroom presided over by him was abruptly halted.
The Chief Justice said that the measure was intended to preserve the judicial institution and urged all stakeholders to cooperate. Speaking about the decision, the Chief Justice mentioned that some mischief was being played and that there may be something at the level of technology or some people.
He also urged the concerned not to immediately rush to the Court Registry and make complaints as to why their permission was not being granted.
Calling the situation as unprecedented and unfortunate, the Chief Justice underlined that the Karnataka High Court was always in favour of using technology for the public at large. He urged everyone to cooperate for the interest of the institution.
The live streaming of court proceedings in all three benches of the Karnataka HIgh Court at Bengaluru, Dharwad and Kalaburagi was suspended for reasons related to cyber security on December 5.