'Mischief Being Played': Karnataka High Court Decides To Suspend Live Streaming, VC Hearings

The Karnataka High Court has stopped video conference facility to all courts due to cyber security issues. In view of the Cyber Security reasons, the Video Conference facilities in all the Courts of the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru, Dharwad and Kalaburagi, are suspended for the time being.

Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale orally said, “An unfortunate situation has arisen. We are stopping on the live streaming, video conferencing. We are not permitting video conferencing facility, live streaming facility. Unfortunately some mischief is being played. There may be some mischief player.”

CJ added,  “Technology is being misused. If that is done, don't rush to the registrar and computer team as to why our permission is not granted. Please, this is something of an unfortunate and unprecedented incident. Otherwise Karnataka High Court was always in favor of technology being used for the better services for the public at large as well as for advocates/counsels. But for the situation which is unprecedented, we have to take this decision.”

The High Court had in 2021 begun live-streaming court proceedings on a trial basis. The first live-stream was made available on May 31, on the Karnataka High Court's official YouTube page. The first hearing to be live-streamed was from Court Hall number one, where a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj was seated. 

The High Court had in 2022, notified the Karnataka Rules on Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings, which came into force from January 1, 2022.