Prof to HC: Allow live-streaming of hearings for public

The letter written by Professor Shraddha Kunal Birwadkar has referred to a September 26, 2018, judgment of the Supreme Court (SC), in which it held that all the important issues pertaining to larger public interest shall be live streamed and audio-video recorded to justify the demands of the people.

A professor has written to the chief justice of the Bombay high court (HC), Pradeep Nandrajog, urging him to issue directions to the authorities concerned to arrange for live streaming and audio-video recording of cases pertaining to the Metro car shed at Aarey Milk Colony.

The letter concludes that as the issue is highly sensitive and involves the constitutionally-guaranteed Right to Life of around 1.5 million Mumbaiites, it seems a fit case as per the Apex court guidelines for live streaming and audio-video recording of the hearings. (HT FILE)

A bench of chief justice Nandrajog and justice Bharati Dangre will commence the hearing of several cases related to the car shed from Tuesday.

The letter written by Professor Shraddha Kunal Birwadkar has referred to a September 26, 2018, judgment of the Supreme Court (SC), in which it held that all the important issues pertaining to larger public interest shall be live streamed and audio-video recorded to justify the demands of the people.

In her letter, Birwadkar has highlighted the fact that more than one lakh Mumbaiites, as well as people from other parts of the country, have objected to the proposal of cutting or transplanting around 2,700 trees at Aarey Colony to make way for the Metro Car shed.

Alluding to the Save Aarey Movement that has seen protests at various parts of the city, the letter states that a large number of public-spirited citizens would be interested in knowing how the hearing in the cases progress and the recording will be beneficial for future references.

The letter concludes that as the issue is highly sensitive and involves the constitutionally-guaranteed Right to Life of around 1.5 million Mumbaiites, it seems a fit case as per the Apex court guidelines for live streaming and audio-video recording of the hearings.

The professor’s husband Kunal is an environmentalist and has filed several applications and interventions in the HC, pertaining to tree-cutting permissions given by various civic bodies in the state.