In a significant step towards judicial transparency and accessibility, Bombay High Court (HC) chief justice Alok Aradhe announced on Tuesday that live-streaming of court proceedings will soon commence from five designated benches. The decision follows a resolution passed by the full court, and technical preparations for streaming are currently underway.
Chief justice Aradhe made the statement while responding to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Matthews J Nedumpara, who has been seeking the live-streaming of proceedings in the Bombay HC.
"We have made substantial progress. The full court has passed a resolution for the live-streaming of certain courts. Technical arrangements are being made. First five courts will be live," chief justice Aradhe says.
The five benches selected for the initial phase of live-streaming are: chief justice Alok Aradhe and justice Sandeep V Marne, justice RP Mohite-Dere and justice Dr Neela Kedar Gokhale, justice MS Sonak and justice Jitendra Shantilal Jain, justice Ravindra V Ghuge and justice MM Sathaye and justice AS Gadkari and justice Rajesh S Patil.
Live-streaming of court proceedings has been a longstanding demand of legal professionals and civil society activists aiming to bring more openness to the judicial process. Advocate Jamshed Mistry, a prominent legal voice who, along with senior advocate Indira Jaising, has been advocating for this move for the past several years, welcomed the announcement.
"Truly a momentous decision! It will bring complete transformation and transparency in court proceedings and will be useful for all three pillars — litigants, the bar, the bench and of course the media," said advocate Mistry. "I am delighted that the Swapnil Tripathi judgment that we argued in the Supreme Court (2018) has finally been implemented in Maharashtra."
In 2018, advocate Mistry and Amrish Kilachand had intervened in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by senior counsel Indira Jaising and Swapnil Tripathi, advocating for legal transcription in all Indian courtrooms. Their plea was based on global best practices in countries such as Canada, US, UK and Australia.
At that time, advocate Mistry, a consistent voice for judicial reforms, also highlighted the importance of incorporating legal transcription along with live-streaming to ensure access for people with disabilities. "Section 12 of the Persons with Disabilities Act talks about access to justice — this includes making depositions accessible. How does a person with hearing impairment follow a proceeding? Transcription is key," he added.
The Supreme Court has already experimented with live transcription using artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP). In February 2023, the court began real-time transcription in the courtroom of chief justice of India DY Chandrachud during the constitution bench hearings.
These initiatives have found resonance across the judiciary, as high courts begin to follow the Supreme Court's lead. With the Bombay High Court now preparing to live-stream hearings from five courtrooms, Maharashtra joins a growing list of states implementing the transparency directive issued by the apex court.
Live-streaming is expected to have a far-reaching impact. For litigants, it ensures real-time access to their cases. For journalists and legal correspondents, it offers primary access to proceedings without relying on intermediaries. For law students, it opens a powerful window into courtroom functioning, enriching legal education.
While there is widespread enthusiasm about the move, legal experts also urge caution about privacy, sensitive information and possible misuse. Guidelines regulating streaming, recording, and dissemination are expected to evolve as the initiative progresses.
For now, the Bombay HC’s announcement marks a watershed moment in the journey towards an open and accountable judiciary.
“This is just the beginning,” says advocate Mistry. “Let us hope all benches are soon brought under the umbrella of live transparency.”
