In A First, Calcutta Court Allows Live Streaming Of Hearing On YouTube

Kolkata: In a seemingly unprecedented order, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday allowed live streaming on YouTube the hearing in a pending case relating to a Parsi woman, saying the proceedings would have ramifications for the community across the country.

The woman had moved the court seeking an order permitting her children to enter the Fire Temple, the Zoroastrian community's place of worship, which they were not being allowed to as she had married outside the community.

Her mother is a co-applicant in the case filed against late Ervad Dhunjeebhoy Byramjee Mehta's Zoroastrian Anjuman Atash Adaram Trust and the Parsi Zoroastrian Association of Kolkata.

The Parsi Zoroastrian Association of Kolkata, a trust member, prayed for live-steaming of the court proceedings, but its application was rejected by the trial court of Justice Soumen Sen.

Then, the organisation appealed to the division bench, where Justices Sanjib Banerjee and Kaushik Chandra, accepted its application.

"The court said as the case will have ramification across India, so it should be streamed live," said lawyer Phiroze Edulji, who represented the PZA.

"The single bench had rejected our petition. Today the division bench said the Parsi Zoroastrian Association, which wants it to be live streamed, will bear the entire cost.

"The Registrar, Calcutta High Court, Original Side, will regulate it. Two cameras will be installed. And they will be integrated for live streaming on YouTube," he said.

"I think this may be the first time such a thing is being done in the country. But I am sure it is the first such instance in Bengal," said Edulji.

The division bench also returned the case to the single bench. It will now be heard by Justice Debangshu Basak.