The Supreme Court (SC) of India has recently made it mandatory for all states and Union Territories to install CCTV cameras in every police station. This decision builds upon earlier mandates and is designed to curb human rights abuses and enhance transparency in policing operations.
Revisiting the Background
This directive can be traced back to 2015, when, in the case of D K Basu vs State of West Bengal, the SC insisted that CCTV cameras should be installed in every police station and prison to prevent human rights abuses. In 2018, a further initiative was taken by the SC when they urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to establish a Central Oversight Body (COB) to implement an action plan regarding crime scene videography during investigations. Unfortunately, the majority of states and Union Territories have not yet complied with these directives.
An Ongoing Concern: Non-compliance by States
Despite the earlier directives, recent findings show that the majority of states and Union Territories are yet to provide details of installing CCTV cameras in police stations.
Recent Directions by the Court
As per the latest guidelines, all states and Union Territories need to ensure that CCTV cameras are installed at each and every police station. This includes all entry, exit points, main gates, lock-ups, corridors, lobby and reception areas as well as areas outside the lock-up rooms. These CCTV systems have to be equipped with night vision and capable of capturing audio-video footage. The data recorded must be stored for at least one year. Additionally, the Centre has also been asked to install CCTV cameras at the offices of various investigating agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Safeguarding Fundamental Rights as per Indian Constitution
The latest directives by the SC aim to ensure the protection of life and personal liberty, a fundamental right enshrined under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. This law maintains that no one shall be deprived of their life or personal liberty unless as per established procedure.
Violence in Custody: A Grave Concern
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has reported troubling data regarding custodial violence. Between 2001 and 2018, despite recording 1,727 such deaths, only 26 policemen were convicted of custodial violence. In 2018 alone, only 4.3% of 70 deaths were attributed to injuries during custody due to physical assault by police. Further, over 2,000 human rights violation cases were recorded against the police between 2000 and 2018, with only 344 convictions.
CCTV Cameras: Surveillance and Security
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is primarily used for surveillance and security purposes. The system contains basic components- a camera (with a lens), cabling, a digital video recorder (DVR) or network video recorder (NVR), and a video monitor. CCTV has become an indispensable tool to tackle terrorism and other security threats and proves invaluable as a forensic aid and in deterring various physical and electronic threats.