SC moved for live streaming of proceedings

ISLAMABAD: A petition was Saturday filed with the Supreme Court, seeking live streaming/broadcast of the apex court proceedings in all cases of public importance.

Raheel Kamran Sheikh, a member of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), has filed the petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, making the federation and others as respondent.

The petitioner contended that live streaming will reduce congestion in the courtroom and facilitate litigants to observe proceedings in their cases without undergoing the trouble of visiting the court.

Citing Articles 9, 10A, 19A and Article 25 of the Constitution, the petitioner sought the top court’s intervention to issue directives in this regard.

He argue that the order would reinforce the rule of law, ensure the upholding of the principle of open, transparent and accessible justice, uphold the legitimacy and effectiveness of the court, and enhance public confidence in the institution of the judiciary.

The petitioner submitted that under Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925, recording of court proceedings used to be a crime in England and also amounted to be contempt of court, but this position had changed with the implementation of the constitutional Reforms Act 2005.

"As of now, the media is permitted to broadcast court proceedings and hearings are live streamed and recorded," the petitioner contended.

He said England was not the only country to have allowed live streaming of court proceedings but also Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Northern Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Scotland and South Africa.

Sheikh sought appropriate directives for live streaming, broadcast of the proceedings of apex court.