Legal proceedings to be aired live

Prashan Limbu

People will be able to witness legal proceedings at the city's top court through live broadcast starting April 1.

The judiciary has launched a two-year pilot scheme to enhance the transparency of court procedures and strengthen public confidence in the judicial process.

The pilot scheme will include live broadcasts of all substantive appeal cases at the Court of Final Appeal, except for cases of certain categories such as those involving children, mentally disabled adults, privacy, trade secrets, national security issues and politically sensitive matters.

"These exceptions are aimed to preserve judicial decorum, prevent excessive pressure on litigants and lawyers, and safeguard the fair and proper administration of justice," the judiciary said, adding that hearings that fall under these exceptions will remain open for public attendance unless directed otherwise by the CFA.

The first two CFA hearings to be broadcast live are scheduled for April 1 and 7.

The live broadcasts will be accessible on the CFA website, where the public can view proceedings via desktop or mobile devices equipped with common browsers.

To brief viewers, core written materials will be available on the CFA website prior to the hearings, and detailed information about accessing the live webcast will be provided closer to the court dates.

But the public and the media are prohibited from recording the live webcast or using broadcast footage.

The judiciary said it will evaluate the pilot scheme's outcomes to make long-term plans on the broadcasting arrangement.