The Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court circulated the notice to inform the litigants, advocates, and the general public about the blanket restriction on capturing or disseminating any form of audio or video recording during court sessions. This directive was issued in response to growing concerns over the misuse of courtroom footage and the unauthorised circulation of such content.
While the notice does not stem from a particular litigation, it aligns with established judicial practices nationwide. Several other High Courts, including the Uttarakhand High Court, have issued similar prohibitions to safeguard the decorum of court proceedings. The Uttarakhand High Court, for instance, has declared that unauthorised recordings during virtual hearings may attract penal consequences under the Copyright Act, 1957, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and contempt laws.
The High Court has unequivocally stated, “Recording of Court proceedings by any person or entity is prohibited in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the District Courts in the State of Punjab, Haryana and U.T. Chandigarh.”
It further emphasised that violation of these orders may result in “Appropriate action by the concerned Court including confiscation of electronic gadget used for recording of proceedings and initiation of contempt proceedings against such person/entity.”
The Court has reinforced its intolerance for any conduct that undermines the sanctity of courtroom proceedings. The notice serves as a pre-emptive measure to deter unauthorised documentation of judicial processes and reiterates that any such act will not only invite procedural sanctions but may also attract statutory penalties under contempt and other applicable laws.
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