Sushree Mohanty
The Supreme Court will not grant permission to share the online links for virtual court proceedings through WhatsApp, reported the registry of the top court on February 27,2021.
In the notification issued, the registry stated that the links for the court proceedings will now be circulated through registered E-Mail ID’s and Cell phone numbers of the representing advocates and the parties concerned in the matter.
The decision was taken in the wake of the recently revised Information Technology (Guidelines for mediators and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021).
The notification stated, “It is notified for the information of the Advocates-on-Record/Party-in-Persons that the creation of members groups in WhatsApp for sharing the Virtual Conference links for proceedings of their matter will be confined/restricted because of new rules or guidelines issued by the government of India relating to online media Apps and OTT stages.”
“w.e.f March 1, 2021, through registered email ids as well as by SMS on registered mobile numbers of the Ld. Advocates-on-Record / Party-in-Persons”, the notification added with respect to on what platform the video conference links will be shared from now.
The public authority on February 25, 2021, reported clearing guidelines for web-based media firms like Facebook and Twitter just as Over-the-Top (OTT) players.
The rules likewise make it obligatory for online media platforms like Twitter and WhatsApp to identify the originator of a message that government consider to be hostile to the public and anti-national and their activities being against the security of the country.
