UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC prohibits unauthorised recording, monetisation of court videos on social media
Q1. The Supreme Court's directions of 24 July 2026 restricting the use of court-hearing recordings were passed as an 'interim order'. In this context, an interim order is best described as which one of the following?
- A. A provisional order that operates only until the petition is finally decided
- B. A final order that conclusively disposes of the petition and cannot be recalled
- C. An order passed without hearing the opposing party, valid only ex parte
- D. An order that remains operative only during the court's vacation period
Q2. The interim order restraining unauthorised extraction and monetisation of livestreamed court proceedings was passed by a Bench led by which one of the following judges?
- A. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud
- B. Justice Joymalya Bagchi
- C. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
- D. Justice V. Mohana
Q3. In Swapnil Tripathi v. Supreme Court of India (2018), the Court traced the case for live-streaming of proceedings to certain constitutional provisions. Consider the following:
1. Article 21 — the right of access to justice as a facet of the protection of life and personal liberty.
2. Article 145(4) — the requirement that judgments of the Supreme Court be pronounced in open court.
3. Article 19(1)(a) — the right to know, flowing from freedom of speech and expression.
4. Article 39A — free legal aid, held to be the primary and sole source of the right to live-streaming.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Article 21 — the right of access to justice as a facet of the protection of life and personal liberty.
- Article 145(4) — the requirement that judgments of the Supreme Court be pronounced in open court.
- Article 19(1)(a) — the right to know, flowing from freedom of speech and expression.
- Article 39A — free legal aid, held to be the primary and sole source of the right to live-streaming.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q4. The 2018 Swapnil Tripathi verdict permitting live-streaming of court proceedings was delivered by a Bench of how many judges?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Five
- D. Seven
Q5. Following the Swapnil Tripathi verdict, which body formulated the 'Model Rules for Live-Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings' for adoption by the High Courts and subordinate courts?
- A. The Department of Justice under the Ministry of Law and Justice
- B. The National Informatics Centre under the Ministry of Electronics and IT
- C. The National Legal Services Authority constituted under a 1987 statute
- D. The e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India
Q6. The Supreme Court e-Committee that released the draft Model Rules for Live-Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings in 2021 was headed by which judge?
- A. Justice Dipak Misra
- B. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud
- C. Justice U.U. Lalit
- D. Justice Surya Kant
Q7. Consider the following statements regarding the propositions laid down in Swapnil Tripathi (2018) on open justice:
1. The right of access to justice under Article 21 gives the public a legitimate interest in witnessing proceedings of constitutional importance.
2. Article 145(4) requires that the judgment of the Supreme Court be pronounced in open court.
3. Live-streaming may be undertaken by any private broadcaster chosen by the litigant.
4. The final authority to suspend or prohibit live-streaming in a particular case rests with the presiding judge of that court.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The right of access to justice under Article 21 gives the public a legitimate interest in witnessing proceedings of constitutional importance.
- Article 145(4) requires that the judgment of the Supreme Court be pronounced in open court.
- Live-streaming may be undertaken by any private broadcaster chosen by the litigant.
- The final authority to suspend or prohibit live-streaming in a particular case rests with the presiding judge of that court.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q8. Under the Supreme Court's July 2026 interim order, how many categories of use of court-proceeding recordings are expressly exempted from the requirement of prior permission?
- A. One — bona fide news reporting of the proceedings
- B. Two — news reporting and academic research use
- C. Three — news reporting, academic research and legal-education use
- D. None — the order permits no exemption whatsoever
Q9. Consider the following statements about the Supreme Court's July 2026 interim order on livestreamed court recordings:
1. Extraction and editing of the recordings for social media without permission is prohibited.
2. Monetisation of court-proceeding clips on digital platforms without permission is prohibited.
3. Bona fide news reporting of the proceedings is also barred by the order.
4. Permission to upload must be obtained from the Secretary General of the Supreme Court or the Registrar General of the jurisdictional High Court.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Extraction and editing of the recordings for social media without permission is prohibited.
- Monetisation of court-proceeding clips on digital platforms without permission is prohibited.
- Bona fide news reporting of the proceedings is also barred by the order.
- Permission to upload must be obtained from the Secretary General of the Supreme Court or the Registrar General of the jurisdictional High Court.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q10. The Supreme Court's own announcement favouring live-streaming came with the 2018 Swapnil Tripathi verdict. How many years later did the Supreme Court actually begin regularly live-streaming its Constitution Bench proceedings?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Six
Q11. The 2026 petition seeking safeguards against misuse of livestreamed hearings was filed as a Public Interest Litigation directly before the Supreme Court. Which constitutional provision is the primary route for approaching the Supreme Court directly for enforcement of fundamental rights in this manner?
- A. Article 226 — the writ jurisdiction of the High Courts
- B. Article 32 — the right to constitutional remedies before the Supreme Court
- C. Article 136 — special leave to appeal to the Supreme Court
- D. Article 143 — the advisory jurisdiction on a Presidential reference