JABALPUR: The Madhya Pradesh high court on Monday ordered the removal of 102 social media links that misused live streaming of court proceedings and gave the platforms 48 hours to remove clips that were circulating as memes, Reels and sensational videos. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf passed the order while hearing a petition warning that edited excerpts from public court hearings were being selectively shared on YouTube and Instagram, thereby distorting court proceedings and undermining institutional dignity. The case will be heard again on March 24. The plaintiffs – lawyers Arihant Tiwari and Vidit Shah as well as Dr. Vijay Bajaj of Jabalpur – said short videos taken from live streams depicted sensational statements by judges and discussions in the courtroom, which amounted to contempt of court. They called for stricter monitoring of live-streamed hearings and a move away from open platforms like YouTube towards a secure, Webex-based system monitored by the HC’s Registrar (IT). In previous proceedings, the High Court had asked Meta to identify offensive content. Meta told the bank it would act once specific URLs were made available. In this regard, the petitioners had submitted a list of 102 links. Tiwari told the court the clips contained selective depictions of judges’ exchanges during hearings. In a video, Judge Vivek Agarwal was seen revoking bail after an accused objected to bail, followed by a clip of the accused’s daughter pleading in court. Other videos highlighted harsh remarks by judges against lawyers over non-appearance or lack of preparation, as well as observations by Justice Rohit Arya during hearings in Gwalior.
