The Supreme Court has directed that a meeting be held on May 6 to review how states have used the allocated funds meant for installing CCTV cameras in police stations. The Court seeks full compliance and transparency now.
The Supreme Court directed that a meeting be convened on May 6 to deliberate on the utilisation of funds by states for the installation of CCTV cameras in police stations across the country.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta asked senior advocate Siddhartha Dave assisting the court as an amicus curiae in a suo motu matter relating to the lack of functional CCTVs in police stations to hold the meeting with the Centre, all states, and Union Territories.
The bench said,
“We are of the view that a meeting be convened by the amicus, as done earlier, in which the home secretary of the central government or his nominee not below the rank of joint or additional secretary and the home secretary of states/Union Territories will participate,”
The issue was raised after the amicus drew attention to concerns about how the funds were being used. Dave submitted that in Union Territories, the Centre provides 100% funding, while in hilly states the central government funds 90%.
He further stated that in the remaining states, the Centre provides 60%, with the remaining 40% funded by the respective state.
The bench asked,
“Why don’t we get responses of the states only on utilisation of funds?”
The top court suggested that the amicus could hold a meeting involving the Centre, states, and UTs specifically on the issue of utilisation of funds.
The matter was posted for hearing on May 13, with a direction that a report be filed before the court.
Earlier, on April 7, the Centre told the Supreme Court that all issues concerning the installation of CCTV cameras in police stations would be resolved within two weeks.
The Supreme Court had previously ordered the registration of the suo motu case over the lack of functional CCTV cameras in police stations after it took cognisance of a media report.
In 2018, the apex court ordered CCTV cameras to be installed across police stations to help curb human rights abuses. In December 2020, it directed the Centre to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment at the offices of investigating agencies, including the CBI, the ED, and the NIA.
It also required states and UTs to ensure CCTV cameras were installed in every police station and at all entry and exit points, including the main gate, lock-ups, corridors, lobby, and reception areas. The court further said that areas outside lock-up rooms must also be covered so that no portion remained uncovered.
The court made it mandatory for CCTV systems to include night vision and provide both audio and video recording, and directed the Centre, states, and UTs to purchase systems capable of storing data for at least one year.
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