The Supreme Court of India was informed on Tuesday that the Centre will address all pending concerns related to CCTV installation in police stations across the country within the next two weeks. Attorney General R Venkataramani told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that he was reviewing the matter and that several steps were already underway.
The Union Home Ministry secretary appeared before the court following its April 6 direction, which asked him to remain present so that the court could seek necessary assistance on the implementation of the nationwide CCTV scheme. The matter is being heard as part of a series of petitions, including a suo motu case concerning non-functional CCTV systems in police stations.
Court expresses concern over representation
During the hearing, Justice Nath pointed out that an earlier meeting chaired by the amicus curiae saw the Centre represented only by an under secretary. The bench remarked, "Does it look nice?" indicating displeasure over the level of representation from the Union government. The attorney general assured the court that he would conduct multiple meetings with the amicus and senior officials to expedite the process.
Kerala model suggested for nationwide use
The bench referred to submissions made a day earlier, where it was highlighted that Kerala had successfully implemented an efficient software system for CCTV monitoring. The judges suggested that instead of each state developing separate software, the Centre could instruct states to adopt Kerala's model. According to the amicus, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have already set up centralised dashboards.
Next steps and deadlines
The attorney general informed the court that all issues would be settled within two weeks. The bench recorded this assurance and fixed the next hearing for April 28. It added that the amicus may submit a fresh status report before the hearing and that the Centre may file an affidavit if required. The court clarified that the home secretary's personal presence would not be needed at future hearings unless directed.
Long-standing CCTV compliance case
The Supreme Court has been monitoring the issue since it took suo motu cognisance of media reports highlighting the absence of functional CCTVs in police stations. In 2018, the court had ordered the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent human rights violations. Later, in December 2020, the court also directed the Centre to deploy CCTV and recording systems in investigative agency offices including the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and National Investigation Agency. States and Union Territories were asked to ensure CCTV coverage at all common and sensitive points inside police stations. The court also mandated that these systems must include night vision and store audio and video data for at least one year.
ALSO READ: No SC status after religious conversion: Supreme Court upholds Andhra Pradesh HC ruling
