In a major initiative to give its students exposure to the court proceedings and the way courts function, Government Law College, Ernakulam, will start to live stream the Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court proceedings, becoming the first law college in the country to do so.
The Ernakulam Law College, which celebrates its 150th year next year, will be able to undertake this task, thanks to Mustafa Zafeer OV and Almana Zafeer, a Dubai-based international lawyer couple, who are alumni of the institution. Musthafa & Almana, the global law and consulting firm, is sponsoring the initiative.
"The Government Law College, Ernakulam, has the distinction of giving some of the most reputed judges to the Supreme Court and Kerala High Court over the past several years. But, what we have seen in recent years is that the students are not confident enough and most of them prefer studying in upcoming private law colleges outside the state. We believe the live steaming will help students to understand the proceedings better and give them the much-needed confidence," said Mustafa.
The inauguration of the live streaming of the Supreme Court and High Court proceedings will be conducted by Justice Shaji P Chaly, judge, Kerala High Court on Saturday, March 18. The live streaming will begin from March 20.
Chief Justice of India, Justice DY Chandrachud is the most vocal advocate for live streaming of court proceedings and he is also the chairperson of the Supreme Court's E-committee. While various high courts live stream proceedings on YouTube, this will be the first time that the proceedings of both an HC and the Supreme Court will be live-streamed in a college for the benefit of law students.
"Exposure to proceedings"
Bindu M Nambiar, Principal, Ernakulam Government Law College, said the live streaming facility will play a big role in providing our students with much-needed exposure to the proceedings of the Supreme Court and the High Court. "Our students don't get an opportunity to go to the Supreme Court. But this facility will provide them with that," she said.
'His Highness The Maharaja's Government Law College, Ernakulam', which is the original name of the college, is the first institution of legal learning in Kerala, and perhaps in India. "Our objective is to raise the Government Law College, Ernakulam, into a 'Centre for Excellence' with students considering it as an honour to study in this prestigious institution," said Almana.
According to Bindu, the facility, comprising the projector and associated devices, will be set up in a hall on the campus. "There won't be any seating arrangements. The students will be able to stand and watch the proceedings. Any student who has free time can come and view the proceedings," said the principal.
From students' perspective
"Since every student, right from the first years to the final years, will get to view the proceedings it will go a long way in helping them get an idea of what happens in the courts, thereby, preparing them for their future endeavours," says Bindu. She says, "The students do get some exposure to the court proceedings during their internship programmes that include court visits. However, to help them understand the proceedings in the SC and HC, they will be guided by their internship teachers, in the case of junior students, and for the final year students, the teachers associated with court visits will provide the needed guidance."
The students of the college, meanwhile, are all gung ho about the live-streaming facility. Aditya S Sahadevan, a final year student of the college, said, "We have been always in a disadvantageous position when it comes to visiting or taking part in the proceedings of the SC. It was a privilege enjoyed by the students of law universities. But this facility will help place us on the same footing as those students. We will no longer be ignorant of the SC proceedings."
