Now Reading: Kerala HC bars lawyer for recording court proceedings on YouTube
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Kerala HC bars lawyer for recording court proceedings on YouTube
The Kerala High Court has initiated contempt of court proceedings against advocate Mathews J Nedumpara for recording court proceedings and uploading them to his YouTube channel without authorisation. A Division Bench of…
The Kerala High Court has initiated contempt of court proceedings against advocate Mathews J Nedumpara for recording court proceedings and uploading them to his YouTube channel without authorisation. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar VM also barred Nedumpara from appearing in any online or virtual court proceedings in Kerala until further orders.
The contempt case was taken up suo motu after the court's registry reported that Nedumpara had been recording and uploading proceedings despite repeated warnings. The court noted that his actions violated Rule 3(9) of the Electronic Audio-Video Linkage Rules (Kerala), 2025, which prohibits broadcasting, recording, or sharing proceedings without written permission. The court also said the titles of his videos constituted criminal contempt under Section 2(c)(i) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
The court ordered that notice be served on Nedumpara within a week. The matter is next listed on September 7, 2026.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This is a rare suo motu contempt action against a lawyer for unauthorised recording, highlighting the strict enforcement of the new Electronic Audio-Video Linkage Rules enacted in 2025. The rules were designed to regulate virtual hearings that became common after the pandemic. Nedumpara's videos alleged denial of justice to MSMEs, but the court's focus is on procedure, not the substance of his claims. The bar from virtual appearances is a significant professional restriction that could affect his practice, as many hearings now happen online. The September 7 hearing will determine whether formal contempt charges are issued.
Source: barandbench.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
