No live telecast of hearing on capital shifting

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has stated that there will be no live telecast of the final hearing on petitions pertaining to the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020 and the Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Act, 2020.

Hearing a petition filed by Vemuri Leela Krishna, a law student of Vijayawada, seeking directions to the High Court Registrar General to formulate guidelines for the live telecast of the final hearing on the petitions pertaining to shifting of the State capital from Amaravati as part of the three-capital proposal of the government, the Division Bench of Justices Rakesh Kumar and Umadevi on Wednesday said the High Courts of some States had dismissed similar petitions seeking the live telecast of court proceedings earlier. 

Hence, the AP High Court too could not issue any order for the live telecast of the court proceedings, the bench said.Earlier, N Ashwini Kumar, counsel representing the HC Registrar General, informed the court that similar petitions were dismissed by other High Courts. While refusing to order for the live telecast of the court proceedings, the bench directed him to submit the copies of the decisions taken by other High Courts and posted the matter for further hearing to November 17.

The petitioner opined that the live telecast of the proceedings in the High Court will strengthen public faith in the judiciary in the wake of allegations that verdicts were going in favour of a particular political party. The live telecast of court proceedings will provide no scope for levelling such allegations and dispel any misconceptions on the capital issue, the petitioner pointed out.