The Madras High Court Registry requested Rs.20.04 crore from the Tamil Nadu government to install CCTV cameras in court complexes. Chief Justice K.R. Shriram’s bench has granted the government four weeks to respond to the Registry’s request.
The Madras High Court has given the Tamil Nadu government four weeks to decide on sanctioning Rs. 20.04 crore needed for the installation of CCTV cameras and display monitors in 179 court complexes across the state.
The First Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice K.R. Shriram and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, accepted a request from Advocate General P.S. Raman for additional time to advise the government on the need to enhance security in all court complexes.
This request made during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (BCTNP), which seeks protection for lawyers following several violent attacks against advocates in the state.
The High Court’s Registrar (Administration), B. Hari, submitted a status report indicating that the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) had estimated that 7,774 CCTV cameras would be necessary to adequately cover all 179 court complexes.
The cost of the cameras alone was estimated at Rs. 17.86 crore, with an additional Rs.2.18 crore required for display monitors, bringing the total estimate to Rs.20.04 crore after a survey conducted by two of ELCOT’s sub-vendors.
The High Court Registry had sent a letter to the Tamil Nadu government on December 2, 2024, requesting the sanction of Rs. 20.04 crore for the procurement of the CCTV cameras and monitors, and this request remains pending.
Senior counsel S. Prabakaran, representing the BCTNP, informed the court that the Advocate General and State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohamed Jinnah had facilitated two meetings between Bar leaders and the Home Secretary, as well as the Director General of Police.
These meetings were arranged following directions from the Division Bench last year, and Prabakaran noted that progress had been made since then, urging the state government to sanction the funds promptly.
After considering the submissions, the judges adjourned the PIL petition for further hearing until February 27.