The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, September 24, issued an interim order barring the use or uploading of videos of its live-streamed proceedings on social media platforms. Justice Hemant Chandangoudar also directed Facebook, X, and YouTube to prevent private individuals from uploading such content, while mandating the removal of videos that have already been posted.
The court's decision came after a petition was filed by the Advocates’ Association of Bengaluru, seeking restrictions on the public use of live-streamed court footage. The petition raised concerns about the editing, morphing, and illegal use of court proceedings, particularly following the viral circulation of videos featuring controversial remarks made by Justice V Srishananda. The Association had previously requested the halting of live streaming, citing the potential impact on the dignity of the court and the morale of legal professionals.
In its interim order, the court instructed that until the next hearing, social media platforms and individuals must refrain from displaying any videos of court proceedings. Any videos already uploaded in violation of the rules must be removed.
Despite these directives, Justice Chandangoudar noted that halting live streaming altogether was not the solution to addressing the misuse of videos. He said that any instances of misuse should be brought to the attention of the judges. "You have to be thick-skinned. Even judges have to be thick-skinned," Bar and Bench reported the judge as saying.
The petition was filed in response to two video clips that went viral, showing Justice Srishananda making controversial statements, including referring to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as "Pakistan" and making a gender-insensitive remark to a woman lawyer. The circulation of these clips led to widespread criticism, and the Advocates' Association called for a pause in live streaming until proper guidelines could be established.
Following the controversy, Justice Srishananda expressed regret, stating that his comments were unintentional and not meant to harm any individual or section of society. The Supreme Court also took cognizance of the issue and sought a report from the Karnataka High Court Registrar General.