CCTV footage of court proceedings is not accessible via the Right to Information Act; such information can only be obtained upon seeking and receiving permission from the concerned High Court.

ORAL ORDER

1. Present petition is filed by the petitioner under Articles 14, 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India r/w the provision under Right to Information Act,2005 seeking below mentioned relief/s:-

“8. (A) Your Lordship may be pleased to issue an appropriate writ, order or direction, quashing and setting aside the order passed by the respondent No.1 in Second Appeal No.A-4928-2021 dated 10.01.2022 and First Appeal and also order to provide information which is sought to us in the interest of justice;

(B) Any other and further reliefs may be granted in favour of petitioner as this Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper under the circumstances of the case with cost.”

2. The facts giving rise to present petition are that the petitioner sought information on as many as eight points, primarily requesting CCTV footage of the court proceedings in Court No. 2 between 12:45 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on 05.04.2021 in a compact disc; however, the same came to be rejected vide order dated 31.05.2021.

2.1 Being aggrieved, the petitioner preferred an appeal, being RTI Appeal No. 1 of 2021, before respondent No. 1, which also came to be rejected by respondent No. 3 vide order dated 05.07.2021. Thereafter, the petitioner preferred a Second Appeal on 08.07.2021 before respondent No. 1 challenging the said order dated 05.07.2021; however, the said Second Appeal No. A-4928- 2021, dated 10.01.2022, also came to be rejected. The petitioner submits that the Hon’ble Supreme Court, in the case of Pradyuman Bisht vs. Union of India & Ors. (I.A. No. 10142 of 2015 in I.A. No. 10713 of 2015 and 67042/2017), has observed that CCTV cameras are installed in subordinate courts, and therefore such systems exist across courts in India. As per the petitioner he had sought information regarding the manner and method of functioning of such CCTV cameras, including their operation with LCD or LED displays, and therefore such information ought to have been provided.

2.2 Being aggrieved and dissatisfied with the inaction on the part of the respondents, the petitioner has preferred present petition.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the order passed by the respondents is not just, legal and proper and the petitioner has right to ask information in accordance with law. He has submitted that as per the direction of the Hon’ble Apex Court, CCTV cameras are installed and therefore, any person has right to ask information so far his own interest is concerned. He has submitted that the respondent No.1 has not passed order on cogent and substantial reasons and therefore, the same is bad in law and against the provisions of law and is required to be quashed and set aside.

4. On the other hand Mr. Shivang Shah, learned counsel appearing for the respondent has supported the order passed by respondent No.1.

5. Mr. Shivang Shah, learned counsel appearing for the respondent has submitted that the order passed by respondent No.1 is in consonance with the settled principle of law. It is also submitted that respondent no.1 has not committed any error in passing the impugned order and therefore, present petition may be dismissed and the impugned order passed by respondent No.1 may be confirmed.

6. I have perused the relevant material and documents placed on record. I have also gone through the order passed by respondent No.1. While rejecting the Appeal No.A-4928-2021 of the petitioner, the Second Appellate Authority observed that, in view of the order passed by the Hon’ble Apex Court, if a petitioner seeks to obtain any CCTV footage or related information concerning any court under the jurisdiction of the concerned High Court or tribunal, the petitioner must first approach the concerned High Court and seek permission to file an appropriate application for such information. Only upon the High Court considering and granting such a request can an application be made to the concerned court for supplying the requested details.

7. It is appro