Constitution Bench hearings can be live-streamed, to begin with: Centre
New Delhi, July 23 : The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that, to begin with, it favoured live-streaming of hearings by Constitution Benches and Court Number one presided over by the Chief Justice of India.
Attorney General K.K. Venugopal told a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud that initially a screen could be installed in a hall where lawyers not appearing in the matter but nevertheless interested, as also interns, could sit and watch.
It will help reduce crowding in the courtroom, he said.
The top court had on February 9 sought Venugopal's assistance while dealing with separate petitions filed by senior counsel Indira Jaising and Swapnil Tripathi.
Jaising sought the live-streaming and videotaping of court hearings on issues of national importance that have a bearing on a large section of people.
Jaising cautioned against the misuse of such recorded proceedings as she sought "all safeguards" to be put in place to ensure that there was "no commercial use" of the recordings.
Jaising told the bench that the safeguards could include no reproduction of recorded footage by anyone, no matter how small or big, without the court's permission.
As lawyer Mathews J. Nedumpara sought the bench's permission to be impleaded as a party in the matter, he was told to assist the Attorney General.
"Let the justice system take the credit and not an individual," Justice Chandrachud remarked as Nedumpara said that if he was not allowed to be impleaded, then the cause will not get highlighted.
In the last hearing on July 9, the court had said that the live-streaming will bring in transparency and facilitate access to justice since the litigants will know what had transpired during case hearings.
"I may not be present in the court, yet I will be able to know what is happening," Justice Chandrachud had said while pointing out that clients/litigants have the right to know if a matter was adjourned, and why.
"We are only enforcing the principle of open-court hearing," the court had said.
The apex court had said that if they go for live-streaming, it will start off with one court as a pilot project and it could then be extended to the remaining courts.
The Attorney General had told the court during the last hearing that the central government will set up a dedicated channel like Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV if the apex court decided to go for live telecast of its proceedings.
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Surjewala slams Pratap Simha’s ‘vile’ remarks on CM Siddaramaiah, demands apology from BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.
Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.
Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.
"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.
Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".
Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."
The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".
He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.
Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.
Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.
Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.
There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.
