Instal CCTVs in courts, says SC

In a significant step towards ensuring transparency, the Supreme Court has directed that at least two districts in every state and Union Territory should install CCTV cameras at important locations in court complexes.

A bench comprising Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit directed the high courts across the country to ensure that the district and sessions courts install CCTV cameras inside courtrooms within three months but without audio recording.

The top court, however, made it clear that the footage will not be available under RTI and will not be supplied to anyone without permission of the high court concerned.

The bench stated: “We direct that at least in two districts in every state/ Union Territory (with the exception of small states/Union Territories where it may be considered to be difficult to do so by the high courts concerned) CCTV cameras (without audio recording) may be installed.

‘Bring CCTV content under RTI’

The Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) disapproved of the Supreme Court’s direction to keep video coverage beyond the purview of the RTI Act, saying courts should not carve out such exceptions, reports PTI The CJAR said the apex court’s decision to not provide for sound recording during the experimental use of CCTVs in trial courts could defeat the aim to ensure full transparency in the judicial process.