India Supreme Court bans courtroom video clips

The Supreme Court of India has issued an interim order prohibiting the unauthorized extraction, editing, sharing, or monetization of audio and video recordings of judicial proceedings on social media and other digital platforms. The order, passed on Friday, July 24, 2026, by a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, requires prior permission from the Secretary General of the Supreme Court or the Registrar General of the concerned High Court for such activities. The court clarified that the directive does not affect legitimate news reporting of court proceedings.

The order came during a hearing on a public interest litigation filed by journalist Harshita Grover, which sought safeguards against the selective and decontextualized circulation of courtroom videos online. The petition argued that the absence of rules has allowed tentative observations and isolated exchanges to be edited, sensationalized, and monetized through misleading captions, undermining judicial dignity and public confidence. The bench issued notices to the central government, all High Courts, and social media platforms, including Meta and X.