Centre tells Supreme Court CCTV issues in police stations to be resolved in 2 weeks

The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court of India that all issues relating to the installation of CCTV cameras in police stations across the country would be resolved within two weeks.

Attorney General R. Venkataramani informed a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that he was reviewing the matter and would hold a series of meetings with officials and the amicus curiae.

“I am taking stock of the issues,” Venkataramani told the bench.

Court flags coordination gaps

The Union home secretary appeared before the court in compliance with its 6 April order to assist in implementing the CCTV installation scheme.

During the hearing, Justice Nath noted that earlier directions required consultations with states and Union Territories (UTs), but the Union was represented by a junior official in those deliberations.

“Does it look nice?” the bench observed, indicating concern over the level of representation.

The attorney general said multiple steps were underway and assured the court that discussions with stakeholders would be intensified.

Push for standardised system

The bench referred to submissions by the amicus curiae that Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have implemented centralised dashboards for monitoring CCTV systems.

It suggested that the Centre consider adopting a uniform model based on Kerala’s system instead of allowing each state to develop separate software.

“You can issue guidelines to all the states requesting them or directing them to follow the same pattern,” the bench said.

Venkataramani responded that consultations would be held with the amicus and relevant authorities to streamline implementation.

Timeline set, next hearing on 28 April

Recording the assurance, the bench said the attorney general would ensure that “all the issues are sorted out” within two weeks through regular meetings with officials.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on 28 April. The court said the amicus may file a fresh status report by then, and the Centre may submit an affidavit if required.

The bench also said the personal appearance of the Union home secretary would not be necessary unless specifically directed.

Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, assisting the court as amicus curiae, had earlier informed that most states have installed CCTV cameras and are in the process of establishing centralised monitoring systems.

The apex court is hearing a batch of pleas, including a suo motu case on the lack of functional CCTV cameras in police stations.

On 26 February, it directed the Centre and other stakeholders to deliberate on feasibility, modalities and a framework for implementing a standardised system, including a centralised dashboard.

The court had first taken cognisance of the issue based on a media report and initiated proceedings to ensure compliance.

In 2018, the court ordered installation of CCTV cameras in police stations to check human rights violations.

In December 2020, it expanded the directions to include offices of investigative agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and National Investigation Agency.

The court has mandated that cameras cover entry and exit points, lock-ups, corridors and other critical areas, with systems equipped for night vision, audio-video recording and data storage of at least one year.