Tag: Chief Justice of India

8 Lakh Views To India’s First Live-Streaming Of SC

By LokMarg

In a landmark moment in the history of the Indian judiciary, the Supreme Court on Tuesday live-streamed on YouTube its proceedings for the public to watch.

The proceedings were watched by more than eight lakh viewers.
This step will go a long way in overcoming the barriers of distance and will provide citizens from every nook and corner of the country opportunity to watch the Supreme Court proceedings, said a statement issued by the Supreme Court.

It further stated that this is a humble beginning and the “attempts will now be made to live-stream proceedings in all important matters” until live-streaming of proceedings becomes the order of the day.

“Three Constitution Benches in Court nos. 1, 2 and 3 of the Supreme Court of India were sitting today simultaneously and the proceedings in these three Courts were being live streamed through YouTube and other T.V. Channels. Statistics show that more than eight lakh viewers watched the proceedings before the three Constitution Benches,” said the Supreme Court.

The decision to live stream the proceedings of the Constitution benches was taken by the Full Court on September 20, 2022 and soon thereafter trial runs were undertaken by the Registry.

The technical support teams ensured that the live streaming was without any obstruction or difficulty and was completely seamless, the statement added.

Last week Supreme Court decided to hold live streaming of all the Constitution bench hearings from September 27.

Today, three Constitution benches heard the cases relating to pleas challenging the Centre’s decision to grant a 10 per cent quota for the EWS category in admissions and jobs, the Maharashtra political crisis, and control of administrative services in Delhi.

A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India UU Lalit heard pleas challenging the EWS quota case. The case challenges the 103rd Constitution Amendment.

Justice DY Chandrachud-led bench heard the petitions filed by both the Uddhav Thackeray-led camp and Eknath Shinde group on the issue of Maharashtra political crisis, and the plea of the Delhi government on the contentious issue of who should control administrative services in Delhi over the transfers and postings of officers in the national capital.

While a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul heard the matter relating to the validity of the All India Bar Examination.

Yesterday, CJI said that the Supreme Court will have its own platform to live-stream its proceedings and the use of YouTube for the purpose is temporary.

“These are the initial stages. We will certainly have our own platforms… We will take care of that (copyright issue),” he said while a lawyer told the apex court that the copyright of the top court proceedings cannot be surrendered to private platforms like YouTube.

Currently, the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court has been hearing a number of cases including economically backward class reservation law, the religious practice of ex-communication in the Dawoodi Bohra community, Centre’s petition on additional compensation for victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy among others.

The cases that the five-judge Constitution bench will hear in near future include challenges to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), abrogation of Article 370, Maharashtra political crisis etc.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising had also written to the CJI and other judges requesting the Supreme Court to begin live streaming of proceedings of matters of public and constitutional importance.

In 2018 the then CJI Dipak Misra-led three-judge bench had agreed to start a live telecast of proceedings in a phased manner.

For the first time, the Supreme Court in August live-streamed its proceedings through a government webcast portal of a ceremonial bench for while giving farewell to outgoing Chief Justice of India NV Ramana. (ANI)

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CJI Lalit

CJI Lalit Refutes Reports Of Rift Among Top Judges

By LokMarg

Chief Justice of India (CJI) UU Lalit refuted any rift among judges of the Supreme Court in relation to the new listing system of cases on Thursday, and said that “all judges are on the same page”.

“We have taken a new way of listing. What has been reported is not the correct state of affairs. All Judges are completely on the same page,” CJI Lalit said in the felicitation function organised for him by the Supreme Court Bar Association.

The CJI elaborated that the new listing system was a work in progress that has shown promise by disposing of 5200 cases since its introduction.

Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul remarked that the new listing system does not give adequate time to take up matters fixed for hearing. The bench, also comprising Justice Abhay Oka, said that many cases cannot be taken up as there are a number of matters within the span of the ‘Afternoon’ session.

“The new listing system is not giving adequate time to take up matters fixed for hearing like the present case as there are a number of matters within the span of ‘Afternoon’ session,” the order passed by the bench of Justice Kaul had said.

CJI Lalit, while addressing the gathering, said that till yesterday, the apex court could dispose of 5200 matters as against the filing of 1135 cases.

“As a result of change over, there have been certain instances where matters were listed on the 11th hour. Difficult for judges, indebted to them for discharging everything with a smiling face. That’s how we were able to dispose of 5200,” he said.

We have been able to reduce the arrears by 4000, CJI said terming it a good beginning. “So many matters were pending and had become infructuous. So we had to dispose of them and the results are before you,” CJI added.

After assuming the office of CJI, one of the first changes introduced by CJI Lalit was regarding the hearing of cases in the top court on non-miscellaneous days (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays). As per this, on non-miscellaneous days, the apex court currently hears regular matters in the morning session (10.30 am to 1 pm) and miscellaneous and after notice matters in the afternoon session (2 pm to 4 pm).

Earlier, the norm was to take up miscellaneous matters first and then proceed to the regular hearing.

CJI also said that it was always his dream to become a judge of the Supreme Court.

“It’s a privilege to be a lawyer. Everything I am today is a because of this legal profession. I can’t consider myself to be anything other than this profession. Being a member of this bar association was a matter of privilege,” CJI further said.

Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal also attending the felicitation ceremony said that he was happy to have a CJI of “unquestionable integrity and calm” who doesn’t raise his voice whatever may be the provocation.

“We are all happy that one among us, who is a member of the Supreme Court Bar Association, is holding the highest judicial office in the country. Only a few among us have had the privilege of being directly elevated to the bench of the Supreme Court of India. We are additionally happy that we are having a Chief Justice of India of unquestionable integrity,” AG said.

“If the last two and half weeks of Justice Lalit’s tenure have shown us anything it is that he is committed to planting a seed of lasting change and that his tenure offers a great future for this institution,” AG further said. (ANI)

Witnesses Are Eyes, Ears Of Courts: Delhi HC Chief Justice

By LokMarg

The Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, inaugurated the second vulnerable witness deposition complex in the Tees Hazari Court on Tuesday.

Highlighting the importance of witnesses the Chief justice said that “witnesses are the eyes and ears of the court.”
While addressing the judges of Delhi High court and District Court he said that it is a constitutional duty to ensure the court remains accessible to the common public, that is to the victim, the accused, the witnesses and to everyone who could be considered as a potential stakeholder of the justice delivery system.

“The witnesses are regarded as the eyes and ears of the courts as the witness plays an integral role in bringing the truth home in a case. And it is precisely because of this reason that the witness finds himself or herself at a vulnerable spot in the system,” he said.

He said that it is, therefore, extremely important that such new ideas are adopted in all courts and this particular class of witness is provided a secure environment to depose freely.

“The provisions of the vulnerable witness deposition complex would go a long way not only in promoting access to justice for all and also promoting faith in the judicial system,” he added.

He also appreciated the building’s maintenance and the constitution committee for making such a complex in such a short time.

Lauding the new structure he said, “This complex is better than my chamber and adjoining rooms to my chamber. They have done very hard work. I hope they will construct the same kind of system in all the courts in Delhi and the rest of the country will follow the Delhi High court.”

“I must convey that the establishment of this complex is the first step we must constantly endeavour to sensitise all the stakeholders in the system regarding the function and true essence of such complexes that I am sure that judicial officers entrusted with this function will ensure the same,” he added.

This program was attended by Justice Suresh Kait, the chairman of the building maintenance and construction committee of Tees Hazari court, justice Mukta Gupta, justice Anu Malhotra, justice Yogesh Khanna and other justice of the Delhi High Court and judges of the District Court.

Justice Mukta Gupta shed light on the categories of vulnerable witnesses and witness protection schemes. She also highlighted the more VWD rooms.

She said earlier there were four rooms in the complex, two for each district but more rooms were needed after the scope of the definition of the vulnerable witness was broadened by the Supreme court in the Tukaram Wadade vs State of Maharashtra case.

The newly inaugurated complex has separate ways for witnesses, the accused and the judges. It has also other facilities for witnesses and child witnesses.

Now the court complex has four rooms for each district namely central and west respectively. (ANI)