The Supreme Court of India on 28 July issued an interim direction prohibiting the extraction, dissemination, monetisation, or uploading of audio and video recordings of judicial proceedings on social media and other digital platforms without prior written permission from the Secretary General of the Supreme Court or the Registrar Generals of the respective High Courts. The order came while the court issued notice on a writ petition seeking a uniform national framework for live streaming and recording of court proceedings.

What the Interim Order Says

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana passed the direction, which covers a broad sweep of actions — posting, re-posting, uploading, transmitting, modifying, storing, and hosting of court recordings on any digital platform. The order applies to social media intermediaries and technology platforms alike.

Critically, the bench clarified that the restriction does not extend to accredited media organisations. 'This order shall have no bearing on the reporting of Court proceedings by recognised news outlets,' the bench stated, drawing a clear line between unauthorised individual uploads and legitimate press reportage.

Who Has Been Issued Notice

The Supreme Court impleaded all High Courts across the country as parties and issued notices to a wide set of respondents, including the Union government, the Bar Council of India, and major social media and technology intermediaries — LinkedIn, Meta Platforms, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Google, X Corp, and YouTube. The sweep of respondents signals that the court intends a comprehensive, platform-agnostic enforcement mechanism.

What the Government and High Courts Must Do

The Union government has been directed to submit a proposal identifying the nodal ministries responsible for implementing the reliefs sought in the petition. Separately, all High Courts have been asked to file status reports detailing their adoption of the Model Rules for live streaming and recording of court proceedings that the apex court had earlier circulated.

Those status reports must also address 'the impact and feasibility of continuous/uninterrupted live streaming,' the bench directed — a question that goes to the heart of how far judicial transparency can practically extend in India's court system.

Additionally, the Secretary General of the Supreme Court and the Registrar Generals of all High Courts have been directed to publish the order on their respective official websites for public awareness.

Background and Broader Significance

The writ petition before the court seeks a standardised, nationwide framework for live streaming and recording of hearings — a reform that has gained momentum since the Supreme Court itself began live streaming Constitution Bench proceedings in 2022. Several High Courts have adopted their own rules at varying levels of compliance, creating an uneven landscape that the petition aims to address.

This comes amid growing concerns about court recordings being clipped, edited, and circulated on social media — often out of context — raising questions about contempt of court, misrepresentation of judicial proceedings, and the monetisation of court content by unauthorised channels. The interim order effectively plugs that gap until a comprehensive framework is finalised.

The matter is next listed for hearing on 31 July.