Supreme Court Dismisses Lawyer's Plea To Preserve Video Recordings Of Court Proceedings

The Supreme Court on Monday (October 6) dismissed a writ petition filed by Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara seeking directions to ensure the preservation of video recordings of court proceedings and to make them accessible to lawyers and litigants as a matter of right. The petition was premised on the contention that such a measure would help end the “ill-treatment of lawyers and litigants” and guarantee an equal opportunity of hearing, irrespective of the counsel's status

A Bench of Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Manmohan heard Advocate Nedumpara briefly before dismissing the plea. Arguing in person, Nedumpara submitted that despite virtual hearings being held in most courts and tribunals across the country, there is still no mechanism for preserving such records for a reasonable period or for providing access to litigants and advocates as a matter of right.

He further contended that instances of ill-treatment of lawyers and litigants in courts continue unabated, and that preservation and accessibility of video recordings would be the only effective remedy to ensure transparency and accountability in court proceedings

The petition referred to Nedumpara's long-standing efforts on the issue. It stated that he had earlier written to the then Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court urging video recording of court proceedings and had also met the then Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha in 2014, who had considered the feasibility of audio recording. Subsequently, in 2016, Nedumpara filed a petition before the Bombay High Court seeking video recording of proceedings, which was dismissed on the ground that such a step would “reduce the Court into a circus.”.

That order was challenged before the Supreme Court, which dismissed the appeal in 2018.

Subsequently, in the Swapnil Tripathi matter, the Court allowed live-streaming of the proceedings in the larger public interest. The Court said that since the matter has already been decided by a three-judge bench in regards to live streaming and that the petition filed by him was disposed of, the present writ petition can't be entertained.

Case Details: MATHEWS J NEDUMPARA Vs SUPREME COURT OF INDIA|W.P.(C) No. 828/2025 

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