Delhi HC should start live streaming of proceedings: Justice Vikram Nath

New Delhi, Sep 4 (PTI) Supreme Court's Justice Vikram Nath on Thursday suggested the Delhi High Court to start live-streaming its proceedings being a "premier institution" in the country.

Speaking at the inauguration of certain IT initiatives taken by the high court, Justice Nath said every new step towards digitisation was also a step towards greater transparency, where information was not confined within files and courtrooms but placed in the hands of the citizens.

“Transparency builds trust which is the foundation upon which justice rests. Without it, the law remains distant and with it, the law becomes a living reality for people. Equally important is the way these reforms enhance efficiency and convenience.

“For decades, litigants and lawyers have had to endure delays, repeated visits and the uncertainty of not knowing the status of their matters. Now, with real time updates, digital dashboards and streamlined workflows, litigants are empowered with information and tools at their fingertips. This reduces the burden of waiting, minimises procedural obstacles, and allows the focus to return where it belongs on the resolution of disputes,” he said.

After enquiring if the Delhi High Court conducts live streaming proceedings, the judge noted it still had not gone online.

"Live streaming is not there in Delhi. Hybrid courts are video conferencing. This is different. The public at large cannot view the court proceedings," he added.

He stressed that Delhi High Court "must go live", adding, "That's my request. It has to be a full house decision, subject to majority should prevail. Some may have their reservations… You should go live, call me again to inaugurate that.” The Delhi High Court in October 2023 announced live streaming of its proceedings. However, after an initial experiment, the project was halted.

Justice Nath inaugurated the Delhi High Court mobile app, "e-HRMS" for judicial officers, the e-office pilot project and on boarding of MCD appellate tribunal/juvenile justice boards on e-courts besides digital preservation of judicial records.

He underpinned the need to acknowledge the inclusive nature of such initiatives that must be continued to be built by extending digital services to tribunals aside from juvenile justice boards.

"By this, we are making sure that no segment of the justice system is left behind," he said.

Responding to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s that Delhi government often gets "fatkar" (scolding) from courts, Justice Nath said "judiciary does not do any work which is opposite to that of Delhi government".

“Government does its own work and we do our own work. If we think the government is wrong, we help the government by passing orders that it should correct its decisions. Those scoldings are for the betterment of the government and there is no animosity with the government that we scold it. We don’t scold the government happily, we have to do it out of compulsion." The top court judge said first the court asked the government whether the work was done.

"When they don’t do it then we have to scold them. It will continue so take it in a good sense and not in a bad sense,” he said.

The judge went on to request the chief minister to help the judiciary financially besides providing better infrastructure and examine why a particular order was passed by the court.

Justice, he said, was not the privilege of one class of courts or a particular category of litigants.

"It must be uniform, accessible and consistent across the board, whether it is the litigant before the high court, the juvenile before a board, or the citizen before a municipal tribunal, the same promise of accessibility and efficiency must hold true. Inclusivity ensures that technology becomes a bridge, not a barrier." Justice Nath said technology cannot replace the human consciousness that guides the judge, but it "can and will augment our capacity" to deliver justice swiftly and effectively by laying the digital foundation.

Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, on the other hand, hoped the e-initiatives "go a long way" in making the systems in high court and district courts more efficient.

He also thanked the chief minister for providing assistance in e-initiatives, for enhancing remuneration of law clerks of high court and for trying to understand the problems faced by the judicial system.

“We are also part of the state. State and government may be a bit different, but we are also imparting certain sovereign functions which are expected to be imparted by the state. So we should not forget that," he said.

CJ Upadhyaya continued, "So, ma'am there is nothing like ‘fatkar’, we are only making an endeavour to energise the other pillar of the state so that common good can be achieved for the largest number of people of Delhi. That has been our endeavour as a court." Among the speakers were Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, judges of the high court and district courts in the national capital. PTI SKV SKV AMK AMK