Karnataka High Court bars using, uploading videos of hearings amid Pak remark row

The court has also ordered social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, X to takedown the videos taken, and uploaded from the High Court's official live-streaming footage. 

In Short

• Karnataka High Court bars public from using court videos
• Social media platforms ordered to remove court videos
• Petition filed after Karnataka judge 'Pakistan' remarks went viral

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday prohibited the public from using or uploading videos of court proceedings, the Bar and Bench reported. This development comes after two video clips featuring Karnataka High Court judge Justice V Srishananda, making controversial remarks, went viral.

The court has also ordered social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, X to takedown the videos taken, and uploaded from the High Court's official live-streaming footage.

Justice Hemant Chandangoudar also directed certain social media users to delete the videos of court proceedings from their social media handles.

"Till next date, respondents 6 to 8 [social media platforms] and 9 to 14 [private respondents] are restrained from displaying the videos on their channels. Any video already uploaded in violation of Rules must be deleted," the court's interim order was quoted by the Bar and Bench in its report.

The court, while issuing a notice on a petition filed by the Advocates' Association in Bengaluru, addressed concerns over the public use of live-streamed court proceedings, particularly on social media platforms. The petition was filled after two video clips featuring Karnataka High Court judge Justice V Srishananda, making controversial remarks, went viral.

Despite the association's request to stop live-streaming, the court made it clear that stopping the broadcasts was not the answer to the misuse of such videos. Justice Chandangoudar emphasised that while the morale of lawyers could be impacted, judges and lawyers alike must develop resilience.

“You have to be thick-skinned. Even judges have to be thick-skinned. I agree that lawyers’ morale can be affected, but the solution is not to stop live-streaming. If any offence is committed, bring it to the judge’s notice,” he remarked.

The Advocates' Association of Bengaluru has filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court, seeking measures to prevent the public from editing, morphing, or illegally using live-streamed court proceedings. The plea also asked for a directive to social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) to remove any videos or reels created using footage from the court’s live-streams.

This legal move followed widespread criticism of two video clips featuring Justice V Srishananda. In one video, the judge referred to a Muslim-majority neighbourhood in West Bengaluru as "Pakistan." In another, he made a gender-insensitive comment while addressing a woman lawyer. These remarks ignited public outrage, prompting the Advocates' Association to request that live-streaming be paused until clear guidelines on courtroom conduct are established.

The controversy caught the attention of the Supreme Court, which asked the Karnataka High Court Registrar General for a report on the matter. Justice Srishananda later expressed regret for his comments.

During the hearing of the Association’s petition, Additional Solicitor General Arvind Kamath highlighted that the High Court already has mechanisms in place to address complaints about video misuse. He stated, "If an offence comes to someone's notice, only a complaint has to be made, and action will be taken." Kamath also defended the live-streaming of court proceedings, calling it a "boon" for transparency in the judicial process.