Supreme Court Slams Centre for Delay in Implementing CCTV Order, Sets Deadline for Compliance

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The Supreme Court has expressed its deep concern over the rising number of custodial deaths in India, labeling them a 'blot on the law and order system.' In a suo motu petition, the court criticized the Centre for failing to comply with its 2020 order requiring the installation of CCTV cameras at police stations and investigating agencies. The court noted that despite its repeated orders, only 11 states and three central agencies have implemented the measure. The court was hearing a case related to 11 custodial deaths in Rajasthan jails between January and August this year. It directed the Centre, 19 states, and seven Union territories to submit a compliance report within three weeks. The court warned that any non-compliance would require the principal home secretaries of states/UTs and directors of central investigating agencies to appear in court and explain the delay. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, highlighted the importance of CCTV cameras in police stations and interrogation rooms, citing a 2020 case (Paramvir Singh Saini). He stated that despite repeated orders, only 11 states responded, and at the central level, only three agencies (Narcotics Control Bureau, Department of Revenue Intelligence, and Serious Fraud Investigation Office) have implemented the order. The court was critical of the Centre's response, saying it seemed to be taking the court's orders lightly. The Centre was also asked to respond to a suggestion to create a centralized dashboard for detecting and flagging any malfunction or tampering of CCTV cameras in police stations. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was present in court, expressed doubts about the efficacy of CCTV cameras, suggesting that their effectiveness needs to be evaluated. The court has set a deadline for the Centre and states to submit a compliance report, and any non-compliance will be met with strict action. Notable states that have failed to file a compliance report include Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.