SC raps agencies for ignoring CCTV order, cites custodial deaths

New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Monday raised concerns about the lack of functional CCTV cameras in police stations across the country, stressing the need for better oversight. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said it would issue an order on the matter on September 26.

Justice Mehta suggested that a central control room without human involvement could be the best solution, where all feeds are monitored automatically. If any camera stops working, the system should immediately flag it. The bench also proposed involving IITs to develop AI-based software for real-time monitoring. It added that non-functional cameras should be promptly reported to legal services authorities or oversight agencies.

The bench highlighted the importance of independent inspections of police stations and heard submissions from senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, acting as amicus curiae. Dave pointed out that despite a 2020 Supreme Court order directing CCTV installations in investigating agencies such as the CBI, ED, and NIA, these agencies had failed to comply. Some states, however, had followed the directive.

The court emphasized that even with compliance reports, risks remain, as police officers could switch off or divert cameras. The bench warned against treating the matter lightly, calling it a suo motu case and refusing unnecessary interventions from external advocates.

The issue comes in the backdrop of rising concerns over custodial deaths, including 11 reported in Rajasthan within the past eight months. The Supreme Court had earlier, in 2018 and again in 2020, directed the installation of CCTV systems with night vision, audio-video recording, and one-year data storage capacity in every police station to prevent human rights violations.