Bombay HC To Begin Live Streaming Of Court Proceedings From July 7; Rules Issued For Transparency And Access

Mumbai: Starting July 7, 2025, the Bombay High Court and its benches will begin live streaming court proceedings, marking a major step towards enhancing transparency and public access to the justice system. The decision follows a Full Court resolution passed last month.

“Under the Rules for Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings, the High Court of Bombay appoints 07th July, 2025, to be the date from which the rules shall come into force in the State of Maharashtra,” the court said in its notice issued on Thursday.

A formal notification was issued on July 1 by the State government, leaving it to the HC to decide the date from when the life streaming would commence.

The live streaming initiative is backed by detailed rules framed under Articles 225 and 227 of the Constitution. These will apply to the High Court as well as subordinate courts and tribunals under its supervisory jurisdiction.

A dedicated control room (DCR) will be established in each court complex to oversee the process, including monitoring, recording, and ensuring that only appropriate content is streamed.

Live streaming will be subject to the consent of the presiding judge. In multi-judge benches, all members must agree before a proceeding can be streamed. “Remote-control device shall be provided to the presiding judge on the bench to pause or stop the live streaming at any time,” the notification read.

Transcript of the recordings would be made available to the advocate or litigant-in- person, where cases are not live streamed.

However, not all cases will be streamed. Sensitive matters—such as matrimonial disputes, POCSO and MTP cases, rape trials, and those involving gender-based violence or national security concerns—are exempt. Evidence recording, including cross-examination, will also remain off-limits.

Recordings will be archived for at least six months and shared only through authorised channels. Any unauthorised recording or sharing will attract legal action under copyright laws, the IT Act, and the law of contempt. The High Court retains exclusive copyright over all streamed and recorded content.

Advocate Mathews Nedumpara, who began advocating for video recording of court proceedings in 2010, called the development “a long-cherished dream finally realised.” He added: “Live streaming will help dismantle the judiciary’s image of opacity and promote greater accountability.”

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Advocate Jamshed Mistry, who was part of the team that argued for transparency in the Swapnil Tripathi case before the Supreme Court, said: “I’m delighted that the Bombay High Court has finally notified its rules on live streaming. I’m especially pleased that legal transcripts will be available in all courts and tribunals—even where proceedings aren’t live streamed.”