Installation Of CCTVs In Police Stations- Supreme Court Directs Centre, States & UTs To File Compliance Status

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre, States and Union Territories to file an affidavit stating therein the present status with regard to the compliance of its directions to install CCTVs in Police Stations and offices of agencies under the Union of India.

This comes after Senior Advocate/Amicus Curiae Siddhartha Dave submitted a report stating therein that many of the agencies under the Union of India and various State Governments have not complied with the directions for installation of CCTV cameras in the police station as well as the offices of agencies under the Union of India.

The Apex Court warned that if the directions, issued by the Court, are not complied with by the Centre and the respective State Governments/Union Territories, necessary steps will be taken.

“We clarify that in the event the directions, as issued by this Court, are not complied with by the Union of India and the respective State Governments/Union Territories, we shall be compelled to take such steps as found necessary against the Secretary (Home), Union of India as well as the Chief Secretary and the Secretary (Home) of the respective State Governments.”, the bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sanjay Karol said.

The Court has directed to submit the affidavit on or prior to March 29, 2023.

Advocate Ganesh Khanna appeared for the petitioner whereas Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, and ASG Madhavi Divan appeared for the Respondents.

The ASG had submitted that there is already compliance of the directions issued by the Court and placed a chart on record indicating the same.

However, the Court noted that though the Chart would show that some of the agencies have complied with the directions, some of the agencies have not complied with even a part of the direction.

Thus the Court directed to file the status of compliance. The Court further directed the Secretary (Home), Union of India to communicate the order to all the Chief Secretaries as well as the Home Secretaries of the respective States and the Union Territories.

The Court has posted the matter to April 18, 2023 for further hearing.

Cause Title- Paramvir Singh Saini v. Baljit Singh & Ors.

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