In a significant move to enhance transparency and accessibility in the judicial system, the Bombay High Court will begin live streaming its proceedings from 7 July 2025. As per a gazette notification issued by the Maharashtra government, where proceedings are not live-streamed, transcripts of the recordings must be made available to the counsels of litigants.
The High Court notification states, “In exercise of the powers conferred under the Rules for Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings, the High Court of Bombay appoints 7 July 2025 as the date from which these rules shall come into force in the State of Maharashtra, applicable to the principal seat in Mumbai and the benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad, and the High Court of Bombay at Goa.”
The decision to live stream proceedings has been a longstanding demand from legal professionals and civil society groups advocating for greater openness in the judicial process. Advocate Jamshed Mistry, a prominent voice for judicial reform, who, along with senior advocate Indira Jaising, has championed this cause for several years, welcomed the move.
Speaking specifically on the inclusion of transcripts, advocate Mistry said, “After observing the detailed transcripts maintained at the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver in 2013, and at the International Court of Justice in The Hague in 2017, we recognised how vital they are to any judicial system. In the intervention filed by senior advocate Indira Jaising before the Supreme Court, we had argued that, in addition to live streaming, transcripts were absolutely essential. Even when hearings are not streamed, transcripts ensure an accurate record of court proceedings.”
He added, “We discovered a Bombay High Court judgment from 1908 that included transcript-like records, showing that such practices existed even in the pre-digital era. Interestingly, stenographers were rotated to ensure accurate recording, similar to methods used in legislative assemblies. The Supreme Court approved the principles of live streaming and transcripts in September 2018. Several High Courts, including Karnataka, have since notified rules. Maharashtra’s rules, now formally promulgated, will come into effect on 7 July 2025.”
Last month, the chief justice of the Bombay High Court, Alok Aradhe, announced that live streaming would initially begin from five designated benches, following a resolution passed by the full court. “We have made substantial progress. The full court has passed a resolution for the live streaming of certain courts. Technical arrangements are being finalised. The first five courts will go live,” he 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.
The implementation of live streaming is expected to have a far-reaching impact. For litigants, it allows real-time access to their cases. For journalists and legal correspondents, it provides first-hand access to courtroom developments. For law students, it offers a vital learning resource, opening a window into the workings of the courts and legal argumentation.
In 2018, advocate Mistry and Amrish Kilachand intervened in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by senior counsel Indira Jaising and Swapnil Tripathi, calling for legal transcription in Indian courts. Their appeal was based on international best practices followed in jurisdictions such as Canada, US, UK and Australia.
At the time, advocate Mistry also underscored the importance of transcription in ensuring access to justice for people with disabilities. “Section 12 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act refers to equal access to justice. This includes access to courtroom proceedings. How can someone with hearing impairment follow a case? Transcription is essential,” he said.
The Supreme Court has already experimented with live transcription using artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP). In February 2023, the apex court introduced real-time transcription during constitution bench hearings presided over by the then chief justice of India DY Chandrachud.
These initiatives are now being mirrored across the judiciary. With the Bombay High Court’s decision to begin live streaming from five courtrooms, Maharashtra becomes part of a growing list of states implementing the Supreme Court’s directive on transparency and public access in judicial proceedings.
