SC orders for installation of CCTV in police stations with video and audio recording

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed all the state and Union Territory governments to ensure that CCTV cameras are installed in each and every nook and corner of each police station and functioned properly with audio and video recording facilities.

A bench of Justices R F Nariman, KM Joseph and Aniruddha Bose said that CCTV cameras must be installed with such recording systems so that the stored data should be preserved for a period of 18 months.

The court also directed the Union government to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment in the offices of CBI, NIA, ED, Narcotics Control Bureau, Department of Revenue Intelligence, Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), any other agency which carried out interrogations and had the power of arrest.

"Further, in order to ensure that no part of a Police Station is left uncovered, it is imperative to ensure that CCTV cameras are installed at all entry and exit points," the bench said.

The court said that the Centre and state-level oversight committee should give publicity about in English, Hindi and vernacular languages.

"Since these directions are in furtherance of the fundamental rights of each citizen of India guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, and since nothing substantial has been done in this regard for a period of over two-and-half years since the first order passed on April 3, 2018," the bench said.

The court said that whenever there is the information of force being used at police stations, resulting in serious injury or custodial deaths, it is necessary that persons should be free to complain about redressal of it.

The court put the matter for compliance on January 27.