Mumbai, Nov. 12 -- The Bombay High Court on Tuesday observed that audio or video recordings of court proceedings cannot be treated as evidence, dismissing a petition seeking mandatory recording of proceedings before the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) to ensure transparency and avoid inconsistencies in hearings. The petition, filed by social activist Kamlakar Shenoy, stemmed from a 2018 application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, in which he sought video recordings of MERC public hearings held between July 2018 and the date of his application. In response, MERC furnished a copy of its September 2018 resolution stating that its proceedings would no longer be recorded and that any existing recordings would be destroyed as they were not part of the official record. He claimed that the proceedings before the MERC are not being conducted properly. Therefore, he said, the recordings are vital to ensure the inconsistencies in the proceedings are avoided. He also argued that the Electricity Act, 2003, mandates transparency in the commission's functioning and that it had historically maintained audio recordings and transcripts. Highlighting the fact that recording of court proceedings has already been banned, the court rejected the plea, clarified that recording of proceedings is prohibited and such recordings cannot be used as evidence....