The Supreme Court has taken serious note of the lack of CCTV cameras in police stations nationwide. During the hearing, the court emphasized that the issue extends beyond the mere installation of cameras to the crucial aspect of monitoring. Senior advocate, Siddharth Dave, highlighted that while some states have followed the Supreme Court’s directives, many have not. Furthermore, the central government, the NIA, the ED, and the CBI have also failed to comply with the orders.
Justice Sandeep Mehta raised concerns about the potential for cameras to be disabled by authorities, even after compliance affidavits. The court is considering a control room without human intervention and independent inspections of police stations. The court is also exploring the possibility of involving IIT to develop a system that monitors CCTV footage without human interference. The court had previously ordered the installation of CCTV cameras in police stations in 2018 to prevent human rights violations. In December 2020, the court issued stricter orders, directing the central government to ensure CCTV cameras and recording equipment were installed in offices of central investigation agencies like the CBI, ED, and NIA.