The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued a notice to the State government in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that seeks live streaming of the proceedings of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. The Court has given the State four weeks to file its reply.
The division bench, comprising Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Gajendra Singh, directed:
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“Issue notice to the respondents on payment of PF within 7 working days. Notice be made returnable within 4 weeks.”
The PIL has been filed to ensure transparency and public access to legislative discussions. It emphasizes that live broadcasting of Assembly proceedings would allow citizens, especially those from Madhya Pradesh, to be more informed about the actions and discussions of their elected representatives.
The petition underlines the significance of the right to know and asserts that:
“The questions, debates, and bill-passing processes in the Assembly have a direct impact on the everyday lives of citizens.”
It argues that live streaming such sessions would serve public interest and strengthen democratic accountability.
Despite the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs launching the 'National eVidhan Application' (NeVA) to encourage digitalization of Assembly functioning, the petition states that no significant action has been taken by the State towards initiating live broadcasts of legislative activities.
The petitioners mentioned that they had already submitted a formal representation through registered post in February 2025, requesting the start of live telecasts. However, no steps have been taken so far by the concerned authorities.
Citing Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, the petition claims:
“The right to know is part of the right to free speech and expression, and live streaming would effectively uphold this constitutional right.”
The matter was heard on April 17, 2025, and the Court has now asked the respondents to submit their reply within the stipulated four-week period.
Case Title: Sachin Yadav Vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh, Writ Petition No. 8063 Of 2025
