News outlets can report courts, but cannot ‘utilise’ audio-video clips of proceedings: Supreme Court order
This would mean that recognised news outlets cannot post raw or edited audio and video content on social media or digital platforms, ostensibly for commercial purposes
The Supreme Court of India has issued an order on July 31, clarifying that recognized news outlets are permitted to report on court proceedings. However, the court has stipulated that news outlets cannot utilize audio and video clips of judicial hearings, including live or edited recordings, for commercial purposes on social media or digital platforms.
This clarification came in response to a July 24 order that prohibited the extraction, dissemination, monetization, posting, re-posting, uploading, transmission, modification, storage, or hosting of audio-video recordings of judicial proceedings on digital platforms without prior permission from the Supreme Court Secretary General or the Registrars General of the relevant High Court.
Despite the interim direction on July 24, the court emphasized that it was not intended to impose a blanket ban on reporting court proceedings by recognized news outlets. Recognized news outlets may continue to report on legal developments and judicial pronouncements, provided audio or video clips of court proceedings are not used in the reporting process.
The Supreme Court has also expressed its intention to establish a protocol for online users who wish to post or circulate livestreamed judicial proceedings, allowing access to audio-visual content through the courts' archives. The ruling aims to prevent misuse and commercial exploitation of livestreamed court proceedings while upholding the principle of open justice, which ensures judicial processes are accountable to the public and guards against arbitrariness.
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