A chorus of concern has risen from within the Supreme Court’s own ranks: the Advocates-on-Record Association has urged Chief Justice Gavai to slam the brakes on lawyers’ video reels and guerilla filmmaking inside the hallowed precincts.
Legal dignitaries warn that what began as innocuous “informational” clips has morphed into an unchecked parade of self-promotion—complete with flashy contact graphics—rattling the Court’s solemn decorum. More troubling still, snippets lifted from live-streamed hearings risk distortion and sensationalism, eroding the public’s faith in impartial justice.
Security alarms ring louder when these pop-up productions spill into restricted zones. With high-security corridors now seeming more like improvised film sets, SCAORA insists on clear, binding rules to prohibit any photography or videography without express Court permission.
Their proposal lays out four hard-line steps:
* **Total ban** on unsanctioned filming or photography anywhere inside Court premises.
* **Reaffirmation** of the Bar Council’s ban on direct or indirect solicitation through social media.
* **Bar** on sharing any courtroom footage outside officially approved channels.
* **Disciplinary teeth** for violators, especially those sworn in as Advocates-on-Record.
In a joint appeal to the Supreme Court Bar Association as well, the letter pledges SCAORA’s full cooperation in crafting and enforcing these safeguards. After all, they argue, preserving the Court’s integrity demands as much vigilance off camera as on.
