MP High Court Halts Live Streaming of Criminal Cases Over Social Media Misuse

The Madhya Pradesh High Court (HC) has temporarily suspended the live streaming of all criminal proceedings after a PIL hearing, citing misuse of court footage on social media platforms.

A Division Bench led by Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf directed on September 12 to “forthwith stop the live streaming of all Benches hearing criminal matters till the next date of hearing.”

The judges stated that proceedings will remain open to the public through unrestricted Webex links on the High Court’s website.

The Registry has been directed to disable recording and download options. The order takes effect on September 15, with the next hearing on September 25, 2025.

Advocates Arihant Tiwari and Vidit Shah, in their petition, argued that High Court live-streamed videos were being circulated on social media in the form of memes and shorts, which undermines the dignity of the court.

The Madhya Pradesh HC had introduced the Live Streaming and Recording Rules in 2021 to promote transparency and public access to justice. However, these rules also set strict boundaries on how courtroom footage can be used.

This is not the first instance of a High Court suspending live streaming. In December 2023, the Karnataka High Court paused streaming over cybersecurity concerns, while in April 2025, the Delhi High Court dismissed a petition seeking stricter enforcement of live streaming guidelines.