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UPSC Notes

Open Justice and Public Access to Judicial Proceedings

PYQs

8

Articles

1

Momentum

21

Phase IFoundation

Background

Overview

This concept is a cornerstone of democratic governance, impacting fundamental rights, judicial accountability, and reforms aimed at transparency. It is crucial for understanding the judiciary's role in upholding constitutional principles and ensuring public trust.

Open justice is a fundamental principle of common law legal systems, ensuring that judicial proceedings are conducted publicly, allowing for scrutiny by the public and media. It is considered essential for maintaining public confidence in the judiciary, ensuring accountability, and safeguarding against arbitrariness.

Phase IIStatic core

Facts & tables

Key facts

Core Principle

Ensures public scrutiny of judicial processes and promotes accountability.

Constitutional Basis

Linked to fundamental rights like freedom of speech and expression (Article 19(1)(a)) and the right to information.

Balance Required

Must be balanced with other considerations such as privacy, national security, and preventing misuse or commercial exploitation.

Judicial Upholding

Consistently upheld by the Supreme Court of India in various judgments as a cornerstone of the justice system.

Reference table

Static syllabus anchors

TypeReference
Conceptual areaIndian Polity & Governance
Conceptual areaConstitutional Law

Reference table

Institutions & roles

BodyRole
Supreme Court of IndiaUpholds and interprets
High CourtsUphold and implement
Phase IIIExam lens

Prelims angle

Overview

Prelims angle: Statement-based questions

Prelims angle: Conceptual understanding

Quick revision

  • Fundamental principle of common law systems.
  • Ensures public scrutiny and judicial accountability.
  • Balances with privacy, security, and misuse concerns.
  • Upheld by Indian Supreme Court judgments.
  • Linked to freedom of speech and right to information.

High-confidence PYQs

2024Factual recall, Conceptual understanding

Under which of the following Articles of the Constitution of India, has the Supreme Court of India placed the Right to Privacy?

Indian PolityOpen question

A Writ of Prohibition is an order issued by the Supreme Court or High Courts to :

Indian PolityOpen question
2024Definition-based questions, Institutional roles and functions

Under which of the following Articles of the Constitution of India, has the Supreme Court of India placed the Right to Privacy?

Indian PolityOpen question

A Writ of Prohibition is an order issued by the Supreme Court or High Courts to :

Indian PolityOpen question
2023Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements: Statement-I: The Supreme Court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16(4...

Indian PolityOpen question
2022Statement-based questions, Factual recall

Consider the following statements : 1. Pursuant to the report of H.N. Sanyal Committee, the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 was passed. 2. The Constitution of ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2021Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

With reference to Indian Judiciary, consider the following statements: 1. Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit and act ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2019Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Indian PolityOpen question

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2019Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Indian PolityOpen question

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2018Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : 1. The Parliament of India can place a particular law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India. 2. The validi...

Indian PolityOpen question

Topic timeline

Indian Polity & GovernanceConstitutional Law
Prelims 2018· Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : 1. The Parliament of India can place a particular law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India. 2. The validi...

Open question
Prelims 2019· Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Open question

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Open question
Prelims 2019· Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Open question

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Open question
Prelims 2021· Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

With reference to Indian Judiciary, consider the following statements: 1. Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit and act ...

Open question
Prelims 2022· Statement-based questions, Factual recall

Consider the following statements : 1. Pursuant to the report of H.N. Sanyal Committee, the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 was passed. 2. The Constitution of ...

Open question
Prelims 2023· Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements: Statement-I: The Supreme Court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16(4...

Open question
Prelims 2024· Factual recall, Conceptual understanding

Under which of the following Articles of the Constitution of India, has the Supreme Court of India placed the Right to Privacy?

Open question

A Writ of Prohibition is an order issued by the Supreme Court or High Courts to :

Open question
Prelims 2024· Definition-based questions, Institutional roles and functions

Under which of the following Articles of the Constitution of India, has the Supreme Court of India placed the Right to Privacy?

Open question

A Writ of Prohibition is an order issued by the Supreme Court or High Courts to :

Open question

News outlets can report courts, but cannot ‘utilise’ audio-video clips of proceedings: Supreme Court order

05 Aug 2026 · The principle of open justice mandates public conduct of court proceedings to ensure transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the judiciary, balancing it with concerns like misuse or commercial exploitation.

Read article

Related topics

Current topic

Open Justice and Public Access to Judicial Proceedings

Often confused with

Judicial Independence and Constitutional Morality

Open notesOften confused with

Freedom of Speech and Expression

Open notesOften confused with

Regulation of Media Reporting on Judicial Proceedings

Open notes

Practice writing on this topic

UPSC has asked 8 linked questions on Open Justice and Public Access to Judicial Proceedings in Mains. Write an answer to one — and get it evaluated.

See Mains PYQsEvaluate an answer

UPSC Prelims PYQs on Open Justice and Public Access to Judicial Proceedings

Practice official previous year questions asked by UPSC related to this concept.

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

2019·Indian Polity
Solve

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

2019·Indian Polity
Solve

Consider the following statements : 1. The Parliament of India can place a particular law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India. 2. The validi...

2018·Indian Polity
Solve

Under which of the following Articles of the Constitution of India, has the Supreme Court of India placed the Right to Privacy?

2024·Indian Polity
Solve

Consider the following statements : 1. Pursuant to the report of H.N. Sanyal Committee, the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 was passed. 2. The Constitution of ...

2022·Indian Polity
Solve

With reference to Indian Judiciary, consider the following statements: 1. Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit and act ...

2021·Indian Polity
Solve

A Writ of Prohibition is an order issued by the Supreme Court or High Courts to :

2024·Indian Polity
Solve

Consider the following statements: Statement-I: The Supreme Court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16(4...

2023·Indian Polity
Solve

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