The High Court of Delhi Rules for Video Conferencing for Courts 2020 permit public viewing of court proceedings. The relevant Rule is extracted hereinafter: –
“16.1 In order to observe the requirement of an open Court proceeding, members of the public will be allowed to view Court hearings conducted through video conferencing, except proceedings ordered for reasons recorded in writing to be conducted in-camera. The Court shall endeavour to make available sufficient links (consistent with available bandwidth) for accessing the proceedings.”
Thus, links will be offered for public viewing so long as the stability of the system is not disturbed i.e. is consistent with the available bandwidth. Therefore, all those who are interested in obtaining links for viewing court hearings can contact the concerned Court Master/court official on their mobile phone numbers published in the cause list, in the very least, by 9 p.m. on the day prior to the date of hearing.
However, if for any reason contact with the concerned Court Master/court official is not made by 9 p.m. on the date prior to the date of hearing fixed in the matter, then, the person seeking a link should get in touch with the Court Master/court official by 10 a.m. on the day of the hearing.
No request though, will be entertained once the hearing has commenced except with the permission of the court.
Those who are given a link for viewing the court proceedings will ensure that their mic is kept on mute mode and the video on switch-off mode.
Delhi High Court
Circular dt. 20-06-2020
