The Delhi High Court on Tuesday invited suggestions from the general public on whether the media should be allowed to report court proceedings, including in real time.

Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal had set up a committee on June 23 to look into the matter, and the questions were framed on August 31. The panel on “Media reporting in courts – balancing free press, fair trial and integrity of judicial proceedings” will be headed by Justice (retired) Ruma Pal.

The committee has also sought opinions from various stakeholders to frame guidelines for media accreditation. “The committee will explore the ideal balance between the freedom of the press and the administration of justice, which are both key constitutional values,” the Delhi High Court notice said.

The notice contains a questionnaire, which includes 13 questions on a number of subjects – from media accreditation to penalising court reporters. People can submit their response either on the Delhi High Court website or fill out the printed form and submit it to the Joint Registrar of the High Court.

Some of the questions in the notice are:

  •   What qualifications/experience must be met for receiving accreditation?
  •   Should there be a separate seating arrangement for accredited reporters?
  •   What should the penalty be for misreporting by an accredited person?
  •   Should reporting of oral observations by judges be allowed?
  •   Should real-time reporting (live tweeting) of court proceedings be permitted?