Actively considering live telecast of SC proceedings: CJI N V Ramana
New Delhi, May 13: Chief Justice N V Ramana Thursday said he was actively considering the proposal to live telecast the proceedings of the Supreme Court.
The CJI, however, said before initiating concrete steps in this regard, he would seek general consensus among his colleagues in the top court.
Ramana was speaking at the launch of application for granting access of virtual proceedings of the Supreme Court to media persons.
Recalling his days as a journalist, the CJI said media faces great challenges in reporting and came to know that journalists were depending on advocates to get links to cover court proceedings.
Thus there was request to create a mechanism so that press could attend the hearings, he said.
"I was a journalist for a brief time. That time we did not have car or bikes. We used to travel on bus as we were directed not to avail conveyance of organisers of the event, he said.
Urging the media to use the resources (app) responsibly and follow all covid protocols, the CJI said technology, particularly one that is newly developed, is sensitive and might be subject to some flaws in the early days of its use.
"Small issues are bound to arise, which should not be unnecessarily magnified. I request everyone to be patient, to be encouraging and supportive to the technical team to ensure that the application works without any problems. I hope that everyone gives the system the requisite time to evolve and expand.
"Additionally, I would like to also highlight another feature we are introducing today on the official website and mobile application of the Supreme Court. This new feature, called Indicative Notes is aimed at providing concise summaries of landmark judgments in an easy-to-understand format. This will serve as a useful resource for media persons and the general public who wish to be better informed about the rulings of the Court," he said.
With regard to granting accreditation to media persons, Justice Ramana said he has given directions to further rationalise the policy and he was contemplating to appoint a senior officer to be a single point of contact between the Supreme Court and the media.
He thanked the apex court Registry, and the entire technical team, for all their efforts in developing this application and instituting the Indicative Notes feature in such a short time.
Justice Ramana said this pandemic has affected everyone and shared that as per the data available, 2768 judicial officers and 106 Judges of the High Court have tested positive.
"The first employee of the Supreme Court Registry was reported COVID positive on April 27 2020. Till date, approximately 800 Registry staff have tested positive. Six of our Registrars and 10 Additional Registrars have tested positive at different times. Unfortunately, we lost three of our officials to COVID.
"So far as the Indian judiciary is concerned, as per the data available, 2768 judicial officers and 106 Judges of the High Court have tested positive. We are yet to receive the data from two major High Courts. 34 Judicial Officers and three Hon'ble Judges of the High Court have lost their life, battling this pandemic. My heart goes out to the families and the loved ones of those whose life has been cut short by this pandemic," he said.
Justice Ramana said the shift to holding Courts through video conferencing has not been an easy process and the judges have faced various issues while attempting to hold hearings and decide cases.
One of the issues that arose relates to the difficulties in access to video proceedings by the media. Earlier, some provision was made to allow the media to watch proceedings at specific locations.
However, due to certain difficulties and issues, many persons in the media had sent me requests to make changes to the system to enable them to observe Court proceedings more conveniently.
The CJI said that transparency is a time-honored principle when it comes to the judicial process in our country and hearing of cases have always taken place in public courtrooms, with access being allowed not only to the lawyers and the litigants in a particular case, but also to the general public.
The only restrictions that were ever imposed earlier were because of space and security considerations, he said.
Unfortunately, when COVID-19 struck, the systems which were earlier in place could no longer be relied upon. The judicial system has had to adapt quickly, in order to ensure that justice dispensation does not stop in the country, he said.
Justice D Y Chandrachud said many who made this app are our staff and they tested positive and all six of them were working on this.
"We hope that this facility which CJI unveils will keep you all safe. Journalists are exposed so much to outside world, Chandrachud said who is head of the Supreme Court's e-committee.
Justice A M Khanwilkar said the institution is paying back by offering this little gift which will be cherished in the long run which is temporary now but can be permanent in the future depending on the operational issues.
Justice Hemant Gupt also spoke on the occasion and said access to media to court proceedings will increase transparency and cautioned one should be careful in reporting.
There is a caveat that links given to you is used bonafidely and no unauthorised person use it, he said.
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KSCA expresses disappointment over missing IPL playoffs, says it was ready to host matches in B’luru
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has issued a clarification stating that it was fully prepared to host the IPL playoffs and final matches in Bengaluru but the fixtures were allotted to other venues.
In a media note, KSCA said it was disappointed with the decision. The association stated that its president, former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, had been in touch with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and had formally conveyed the association’s readiness and interest in hosting the matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
KSCA said the IPL matches held in Bengaluru this season were appreciated for smooth conduct, crowd management and overall experience for spectators. It said this reflected its ability to handle high-profile matches.
The association also stated that it had sent a detailed communication to the BCCI explaining its preparedness and the operational arrangements followed during the current IPL season. According to KSCA, these systems have been in place since the start of the Indian Premier League in 2008 and were followed consistently, including during previous playoff matches hosted in Bengaluru.
The clarification added that the communication sent to the BCCI was only meant to provide factual and operational details and to bring clarity on logistical and stakeholder-related requirements involved in hosting such matches.
KSCA said that although it had shown willingness and preparedness, the BCCI has decided to allocate the playoff matches to other venues. It added that the reasons for this decision have not been formally shared with the association, but it respects the authority of the board in taking such decisions.
The association further said it remains ready to host matches of national and international importance and will continue to cooperate with the BCCI, franchises, government authorities and other stakeholders for conducting cricket events.
The statement was issued by KSCA official spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya, who also thanked the media and cricket fans for their continued support.
