Supreme Court of India
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has clarified that its recent interim order restricting the sharing of audio and video recordings of court proceedings does not stop recognised media houses from reporting on the hearing, clarifying that the restriction is limited only to the use of audio and video clips in news coverage.
This notification arrives after the court notes that “some confusion persists” over paragraph 11 of its July 24 interim order.
The prior order had prohibited the extraction, editing, dissemination, uploading, and monetisation of audio-video recordings of court proceedings on social media and other digital platforms without permission from the Registrar General of the Supreme Court or the concerned High Court.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana observed that the earlier order "is not to be construed as imposing a blanket prohibition on the reporting of court proceedings by recognised news outlets."
The bench has stated that media organisations are free to continue reporting court proceedings and informing the public regarding the legal and judicial updates. However, the reports cannot consist of audio or video clips of the hearing.
The court said, "In sum, while news outlets may continue to report on the court proceedings, they shall nonetheless remain bound by the restrictions set out in paragraph 10.”
According to paragraph 10 of the July 24 order, the court said, "As an interim measure, it is directed that there shall be no extraction, modification, dissemination, monetisation, posting, reposting and uploading of audio-video recordings of judicial proceedings on social media or other digital platforms without prior permission of the secretary general of this court or the registrar general of the jurisdictional high courts."
This clarification was issued while the bench was hearing a batch of petitions regarding the live-streaming and recording of court proceedings. The matter has been adjourned to September 18.
