The Karnataka High Court has issued an interim order restraining several digital media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter Communication India, from live streaming court proceedings with immediate effect.

The Single-Judge Bench of Justice Hemant Chandangoudar passed the interim order in response to a petition filed by the Advocates’ Association of Bengaluru, expressing concern over the misuse of live-streamed court proceedings for commercial and entertainment purposes.

The Court directed all the platforms to delete any live-streamed videos that were posted in violation of Rule 10 of the Karnataka Rules on Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings, 2021.

"Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that respondents 6 to 8 are the Social Media Platforms and respondents 9 to 13 by using the said Platforms by editing the videos/clips/shorts are uploading the contents of Live Stream videos. Till the next date of hearing, respondents 6 to 8 are restrained from sharing the live stream court proceedings with immediate effect, and respondents 9 to 13 are restrained from uploading the live stream videos on their respective platforms, Respondents 6 to 13 are hereby directed to delete all the live stream videos, uploaded on their respective platforms with immediate effect which are posted in violation of Rule 10 of the Karnataka Rules on Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings, 2021," the Court said in its order.

The petition filed by the Advocates’ Association Bengaluru highlighted the increasing trend of misusing live court proceedings, which are being edited into snippets and presented in misleading ways. According to the petitioners, these selective clips can give partial information, leading the public to form incorrect opinions about the judiciary.

The petition further emphasized that viewers are making contemptuous comments about judges and posting derogatory remarks against advocates. It warned that such videos, manipulated for personal or political gain, are tarnishing the reputation of the legal profession and undermining public trust in the judiciary.

The Court has now called for the immediate removal of all videos shared in violation of the rules, pending further proceedings.

Cause Title: Advocates Association Bengaluru v. Union of India [WP 26229/2024]

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Justice Hemant ChandangoudarKarnataka High CourtLive Streaming

Sukriti Mishra