During parliamentary sessions, private members’ bills can be discussed every Friday after the lunch break, allowing members to introduce their proposals at that time.
File Photo: ANI
From district courts to the Supreme Court, it is essential that the proceedings of every court in the country be documented in writing, and legislation should be enacted for this purpose. This assertion was made by RTI activist and newly elected Rajya Sabha member from the Trinamool Congress, Saket Gokhale, who has introduced a private member’s bill in Parliament.
During parliamentary sessions, private members’ bills can be discussed every Friday after the lunch break, allowing members to introduce their proposals at that time. Making use of this provision, the Trinamool MP introduced the Records of Court Proceedings Bill, 2025.
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Gokhale said, “Every line of parliamentary proceedings is recorded and made public. However, in the case of courts, only written orders are disclosed. There is no record of questions and answers, nor are the oral observations of judges included. This should not be the case.”
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The explanation provided by the Trinamool MP indicates that the issue is not limited to hearings alone; it includes everything from appointments to the entire judicial process, which he argues is inadequate in today’s era.
Several experienced MPs have also shared their views on the bill. They pointed out that there have been instances where judges or magistrates have made strong observations during hearings, yet these remarks were never reflected in the written directives or judgments.
There are also cases where the written directives or judgments issued contradict the observations made during the hearings.
This subject has generated considerable debate. Although several observations made by retired Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court, now a BJP Lok Sabha MP, have made headlines, the absence of these remarks from the written directives has led many leaders of the ruling party in West Bengal to mock the situation.
For example, reacting to an observation about “providing a red carpet for infiltrators,” senior lawyer and Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee said, “It is inappropriate to comment on matters under judicial consideration, but a significant change is being observed in our judicial system. Earlier, judges spoke less and wrote only what was necessary in their judgments. Now, many are doing the opposite to gain publicity.”
It remains to be seen whether the Parliament will hold a discussion on this bill.
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