MUMBAI — The Bombay High Court has taken strict action against unauthorized recording inside the courtroom, ordering a junior advocate to pay ₹25,000 and an advocate’s clerk to deposit ₹10,000 as costs.
A Division Bench comprising Justice G. S. Kulkarni and Justice Dr. Neela Gokhale passed the order while hearing a batch of petitions concerning the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA).
During the court proceedings, an advocate’s clerk was caught filming the courtroom on a mobile phone from the corridor. Senior administrative official Prothonotary and Senior Master A. H. Laddhad spotted the act and immediately alerted the Bench.
The Court ordered the immediate seizure and confiscation of the mobile device used for the recording, alongside the deletion of the video file.
Upon questioning, the clerk stated that he was filming under the instructions of a junior advocate from another chamber.
Expressing deep surprise at the conduct, the Bench noted that advocates and court personnel are expected to be the primary custodians of court rules. The Court reiterated that High Court rules explicitly bar the recording of courtroom proceedings without prior written approval, making any unauthorized attempt illegal.
The Bench pulled up the junior advocate for a lack of basic courtroom training and etiquette, but spared them from immediate Bar Council disciplinary proceedings. Instead, the court accepted unconditional written undertakings from both individuals promising no future misconduct.
The fines (₹25,000 for the junior advocate and ₹10,000 for the clerk) have been directed to be deposited into the High Court Employees Medical Welfare Fund within two weeks. The Court also highlighted a growing concern regarding unauthorized recordings being manipulated and circulated on social media, warning that any future violations will invite strict legal action, including contempt of court proceedings.
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