The Karnataka High Court took a significant step on Tuesday to curb the unauthorized use and distribution of its court proceedings, which are live-streamed on its YouTube channel. Justice Hemant Chandangoudar directed major social media platforms, including Facebook, X, and YouTube, to prevent the upload of such content by private individuals and to remove any such existing videos.
The directive emerged amid concerns over the misuse of live-streamed court videos, particularly after clips involving controversial remarks by Justice V Srishananda went viral, stirring widespread debate and criticism. The videos in question captured Justice Srishananda making sensitive remarks that were deemed inappropriate, prompting a plea for action by the Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru.
In response, the court issued an interim order stating, “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.”
This move aligns with the plea brought forward by the Advocates’ Association, which sought not only to prevent the misuse of live-streamed footage but also to ensure that such content is not edited, morphed, or used illegally. The petition also included a request for YouTube, Facebook, X, and other platforms to proactively remove any videos or reels derived from the High Court’s live streams.
Justice Chandangoudar, addressing the issue, emphasized that halting the live streaming of court proceedings would not solve the problem of misuse. Instead, he advocated for resilience and judicial accountability, remarking, “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. Any offence is made, you bring it to the judge’s notice.”
The controversy had escalated following the remarks made by Justice Srishananda, including a reference to a Muslim-dominated sub-locality in west Bengaluru as ‘Pakistan’ and a gender-insensitive comment towards a woman lawyer. These comments prompted the Association to request a temporary halt on live streaming until further sensitization and agreements on courtroom decorum could be established.
The Supreme Court also intervened, seeking a detailed report from the Karnataka High Court Registrar General regarding the incident, highlighting the judiciary’s focus on maintaining decorum and sensitivity in judicial proceedings.
