Mumbai: Months after introducing live streaming of court proceedings, the Bombay High Court has clarified that such streaming will now be subject to the consent of the concerned judge or bench.
Official Notice Issued By The High Court
A notice issued on Monday stated that as per the Bombay High Court Rules for Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings, all proceedings will be live streamed only “subject to the consent of the Judge/Judges.”
It further said that the presiding judge of a court would be the designated officer empowered to authorise access to copies of the recorded live streams.
Clarification Comes After Morphed Video Incident
The clarification came on the same day Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai expressed concern over a morphed video circulating on social media that falsely showed a shoe being thrown in his courtroom.
Bombay HC Began Live Streaming In July 2025
The Bombay High Court had begun live streaming its proceedings in July this year, initially from five of its benches, in a move aimed at enhancing judicial transparency and public access to hearings. While some benches opted to go live, others chose to refrain from streaming their proceedings.
Pilot Phase Announced Under Former CJ Alok Aradhe
The initiative was announced in June by then Chief Justice Alok Aradhe, following a Full Court resolution. The decision was revealed during a hearing before a bench of CJ when an advocate Subhash Jha mentioned a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking live streaming of court hearings.
Advocate Jha, representing advocate Mathews Nedumpara, had then urged the court for an early hearing and emphasised the need to extend the facility to subordinate courts as well.
Five Benches Initially Selected For Live Streaming
At the time, CJ Aradhe had said, “We have made substantial progress. The Full Court has passed a resolution for live streaming of certain courts. Technical arrangements are being made. First five courts will be live.”
The five benches identified for the pilot phase included those headed by CJ Aradhe, and Justices Revati Mohite-Dere, MS Sonak, Ravindra Ghuge, and Ajey Gadkari. Subsequently, as many as 12 courts had started live streaming.
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In Line With Supreme Court’s 2018 Ruling On Transparency
The move aligns with the Supreme Court’s landmark 2018 judgment in Swapnil Tripathi v. Supreme Court of India, which endorsed live streaming as a tool to promote transparency in judicial proceedings.
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