Karnataka High Court suspends live-streaming, video conference hearings citing "unfortunate mischief"

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday suspended the live-streaming of its court proceedings after hinting that the video conference facility was recently misused. .Chief Justice PB Varale announced the move this morning in Court shortly before the live stream or video-conference stream to the courtroom presided over by him was abruptly halted..He added that this measure is intended to preserve the judicial institution while urging all stakeholders to cooperate. ."We are stopping all the live streaming. Videoconference, we are not permitting. Unfortunately, some mischief is being played, there may be something at level of technology or some people. Don’t immediately rush to the Court Registry and make complaints on 'why our permission is not granted.' This is something unfortunate, the situation is an unprecedented situation. Otherwise, Karnataka High Court was always in favour using technology for the public at large. But for this situation, which is unprecedented. Please cooperate, please request your colleagues not to rush to the computer team, the Registry. This is the interest of the system, the institution rather. Even if some members of the press, may not be aware. Please tell them. You have to cooperate," the Chief Justice said. .The High Court Registry informed Bar & Bench that live streaming of court proceedings in all three benches of the Karnataka High Court at Bengaluru, Dharwad and Kalaburagi, is being suspended for the time being for cyber-security reasons. .Earlier in the day, the administrator moderating the Zoom meeting (through which court proceedings were being live-streamed) informed the participants that they would have to disclose their name and the item number of the case they wished to follow to remain in the virtual meeting. However, after the judges assembled, it was informed that virtual hearings were being suspended altogether. .Measures to live-stream court proceedings gained momentum after the Supreme Court permitted the live-streaming of court proceedings in cases of Constitutional importance with its 2018 judgment in the Swapnil Tripathi case. The COVID-19 pandemic later halted physical hearings across the country, forcing courts to devise ways by which court hearings could be attended remotely or by virtual means. Over time, High Courts adapted to using YouTube, Zoom, Webex, Google Meet and other apps so that court hearings could be virtually accessed by lawyers and other stakeholders. Recently, the Supreme Court also admonished High Courts for discontinuing virtual access to court hearings after the pandemic subsided.