Justice S.M. Subramaniam of the Madras High Court on Monday sprang a surprise by not just calling for an explanation from the Registrar (Administration) of the court for failing to fix a CCTV camera in his chambers but also by expressing his willingness to webcast the proceedings of his court hall on a regular basis.
“Justice Chandrachud of the Supreme Court had recently advocated live streaming of court proceedings. I have enquired about webcasting and they say that it will not cost much. People can sit at the comfort of their home and watch the court proceedings. I am willing to implement it in my court,” he said.
When the judge resumed proceedings at court hall number 8 after lunch recess on Monday, he first summoned the Registrar and questioned her as to why a judicial order passed by him on February 14 for fixing a CCTV camera in his chambers had not been complied so far. She was given time till Friday to submit her reply in writing.
The judge had passed the order while dealing with a case related to a sexual harassment charge leveled by a woman Superintendent of Police against an Inspector General of Police. He had recommended installation of CCTV cameras in chambers of all bureaucrats and ordered that it be fixed in his chambers first.
Though nearly a month had elapsed since the order was passed, the Registry had not fixed the camera on the ground that the issue was pending before the security committee of the High Court and that the Inspector General of Police concerned too had preferred a writ appeal challenging the order passed on February 14.
However, Justice Subramaniam told the Registrar that the appeal preferred by the police officer had nothing to do with the direction issued by him for installation of CCTV cameras in his chambers unless the High Court Registry itself had taken that order on appeal before a Division Bench.
He also asked the Registrar to explain by Friday as to whether she was aware of a 2017 judgement of the Supreme Court delivered in Pradyuman Bisht versus Union of India wherein it was ordered that CCTV cameras should be installed in important locations of court complexes at it may be considered appropriate.
Stating that the chambers of a judge was also a public office and an official premises where many a times cases were heard during in-camera proceedings, the judge said, that it was essential to fix CCTV camera in the chambers both for security purpose as well as to function transparently.
Wondering why was the Registry hesitating to install camera inside his chamber despite his willingness to spend from his own pocket if the court was short of money, the judge directed the Registrar to spell out details of infrastructure provided in the chambers of High court judges and the cost incurred by the State to provide such facilities.