After clips go viral, Karnataka High Court warns against unauthorised use of live streaming of its proceedings

A day after couple of video clips from its YouTube channel went viral, the Karnataka High Court on Friday displayed a message before starting live streaming of its court proceedings warning viewers from recording, sharing or disseminating the videos of live court proceedings without prior permission.

The notice regarding this was displayed on the Karnataka High Court's official YouTube channel for about half an hour before the hearing in various courtrooms commenced.

"No person or entity (including print and electronic media, and social media platforms) other than an authorized person or entity shall record, share and/or disseminate Live-streamed Proceedings or Archival Data," the message said.

It was clarified that the same restriction would also apply to all messaging applications.

As per the notice, live-stream of the proceedings shall not be reproduced, transmitted, uploaded, posted, modified, published or re-published in any form without the prior written authorization of the Court.

"The use of authorized recordings in their original form may be permitted by the Court, inter-alia to disseminate news and for training, academic and educational purposes. Authorized recordings handed over for the aforesaid purposes shall not be further edited or processed. Such Recordings will not be used for commercial, promotional purposes or advertising in any form," it added.

The notice also specified that no person is permitted to use a recording device for recording or transcribing the proceedings, except for those authorized by the Court.

Further, it was stated that any person or entity acting in violation of this provision will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The notice also stated that the Court holds exclusive copyright over the recordings and archival data.

"Any unauthorized usage of the Live- stream will be punishable as an offence under the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, Information Technology Act, 2000, and other provisions of law, including the law of Contempt."

Interestingly, this directive comes at a time when two videos of High Court judge Justice V Srishananda have been doing rounds on social media in which he is seen making controversial remarks.

In one video, he is seen referring to a Muslim dominated sub-locality in West Bengaluru as 'Pakistan'.

In another video, he can be seen reprimanding a woman lawyer for answering a question put to the counsel for the opposite party.

The judge goes on to tell the woman lawyer in jest that she seems to know a lot about the opposite party, and that she might even reveal the colour of his undergarments next.

Today, the Supreme Court also took suo motu cognisance of the judge's remarks and sought a report from the High Court Registrar General on the same.