Supreme Court Bars Black and White Photographs Without Prior Permission

Last Updated on September 10, 2024 by Athi Venkatesh

The Supreme Court of India, in a significant move, has directed its Registry to reject any black and white photographs submitted by parties without prior permission from the Court. The decision comes after repeated observations by the Court regarding the poor quality and lack of clarity in such images, which often hampers proper assessment.

The order was issued by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan in the case of Savita Rasiklal Mandan & Anr vs. Union of India & Ors. The Justices emphasized that many of the black and white photocopies presented were blurred, making them unfit for consideration. The Court expressed concern over how parties were taking undue advantage of submitting such subpar visual evidence without approval.

In its directive, the bench noted, “We have been observing for a long time that parties frequently submit blurred black and white photocopies of photographs. These lack clarity, and as a result, hinder proper examination. Henceforth, the Registry is directed to not accept any such images unless the Court grants explicit permission.”

This ruling aims to maintain the quality of evidence presented and ensure that visual submissions meet acceptable standards for legal scrutiny. Black and white images, which often lose essential details and sharpness, will now require prior approval before being submitted.

The move reflects the Court’s commitment to ensuring accurate and clear evidence for cases before it. The Registry has been instructed to follow this directive strictly going forward. This decision marks a significant step in improving the quality and reliability of visual evidence in legal proceedings across India.