Karnataka HC issues notice on sharing live-streamed court proceedings

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court issued a stern notice on Friday regarding the sharing and dissemination of its live-streamed proceedings. The warning was displayed for around 30 minutes before court sessions commenced on Friday.

The notice highlighted the Karnataka Rules on Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings, specifically referencing Rule 10 (2), which prohibits anyone except authorised persons or entities from recording, sharing, or disseminating live-streamed or archived court proceedings. These restrictions apply to all forms of media, including social media and messaging platforms. Violators will face prosecution under relevant laws, including the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Additionally, the Court holds exclusive copyright over all recordings and archival data. Any unauthorised use of these materials could result in legal action, including contempt of court, the note added.

The Court clarified that authorised recordings may be used for news dissemination, educational, and academic purposes, but must remain in their original form without further editing. Commercial or promotional use is strictly prohibited.

This directive comes in the wake of two viral videos featuring Justice V Srishananda, which triggered significant social media discussions.