Chennai : In an unprecedented move in the history of the Indian judiciary, the Madras High Court on Wednesday organised for a live broadcast of proceedings in a contempt of court case involving two lawyers by setting up a giant screen on the court premises.
The court took the decision to telecast the proceeding live after its earlier hearing in the case was disrupted by sloganeering and noisy protests by an army of lawyers who had descended on the corridors of the court.
As a result the High Court campus resembled that of a cricket ground with lawyers in large numbers watching the proceedings on the giant screen and commenting about it as arguments for against the contemnors were being raised in the court hall of Justices C T Selvam and S Tamilvanan.
The case has its roots in a ruling making wearing of helmets mandatory of riders and pillion riders of two-wheelers. Lawyers of Madurai, who were protesting the mandate to wear helmets implemented a few months ago, had taken out motorcycle rallies without wearing helmets and mocking at the judiciary. Following this the Madras HC’s principal bench in Chennai had initiated contempt of court proceedings against two Madurai Bar Association leaders A K Ramasamy and Dharmaraj.
