Supreme Court : Gives Nod To Live Streaming Of Proceedings, Refuses To Review 2006 SC/ ST Quota Order

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The Supreme Court n yet another verdict has now agreed to live-streaming and video recording of court proceedings.
The apex court said that necessary rules for balancing rights of public and protecting dignity of litigants will be placed soon.

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant”, the bench said while allowing live streaming of court proceedings.  Live-streaming of court proceedings will effectuate the “public right to know” and bring in more transparency in judicial proceedings, the court said.

The verdict was passed on a batch of petitions, including those filed by senior advocate Indira Jaising, law student Snehil Tripathi and NGO ‘Centre For Accountability and Systemic Change’ on the issue.

Meanwhile in Supreme Court, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court has said there is no need for a SC/ST quota in promotions to government employees.

The bench also said there is no need for a seven-judge bench to reconsider the court’s 2006 judgment which had placed conditions for granting quota benefits in job promotions to SC/ST employees.

A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra pronounced the verdict. The bench, also comprising Justices Kurian Joseph, RF Nariman, SK Kaul and Indu Malhotra, had reserved its verdict on August 30 after hearing various stakeholders, including the Centre, on the matter.

A five-judge Constitution Bench, in its 2006 verdict in the M Nagraj case, had said the states are bound to provide quantifiable data on the backwardness of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), the facts about their inadequate representation in government jobs and the overall administrative efficiency, before providing quota in promotions to members of these communities.

The court said that the 2006 verdict in the Nagraj case putting conditions for granting quota in job promotions for SC/STs need not be referred to 7 judges.

The court also turned down the Centre’s plea that overall population of SC/ST be considered for granting quota for them.

It said states need not collect quantifiable data on backwardness of SC/ST for giving quota in job promotion to SC/ST employees.