Karnataka High Court live-streams its proceedings on YouTube

BENGALURU: For the first time in the state, the Karnataka High Court live-streamed proceedings of the Court Hall-1 through its YouTube channel on Monday.

This is said to be the second high court in the country, after the Gujarat High Court, to livestream proceedings as a pilot project. Everyone was surprised to see a livestream link (https://youtu.be/p-4vySjlTYY) on the high court’s website which normally provides the credentials of video conferences only to advocates and parties-in -person due to the pandemic.

The division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj heard arguments on livestream on two PILs filed against the second stage development of the commercial port in Karwar on grounds of violation of environment laws.

The petitioner’s counsel Murthy Dayanand Naik argued that there was no reference to the expansion in the consent given by the Pollution Control Board which was silent about the construction of breakwaters on Rabindranath Tagore beach in Karwar. The high court’s move has received an overwhelming response.

“Wow’ amazing. My dream came true finallyy (sic),” tweeted one Suweid in response. Speaking to TNIE, Murthy Dayanand Nayak said that the HC was using technology to ensure litigants do not suffer due to the pandemic. After the hearing, Chief Justice Oka noted that this case hearing was live-streamed with the consent of parties on an experimental basis and it will continue on Tuesday. A PIL was pending before the HC seeking directions for live streaming of court proceedings.