The BRICS TimesThe apex court has opened a public interest case over non-functional CCTV systems in police stations, following reports of 11 custodial deaths in recent months.
The Supreme Court on Thursday initiated suo motu public interest litigation concerning the absence of properly functioning CCTV cameras in police stations, a problem that continues despite repeated binding directions from the court to prevent custodial violence.
The matter was taken up by a bench comprising justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, after it came across a newspaper report highlighting 11 custodial deaths over the past seven to eight months. In its order, the bench stated, “Based on Dainik Bhaskar, we are directing for a suo motu public interest litigation titled ‘lack of functional CCTVs in police stations’, as it has been reported that there are 11 deaths in last 7-8 months in year 2025 in police custody.”
This development once again underscores that nearly ten years after the judiciary first pressed for video surveillance in police facilities, large-scale compliance has still not been achieved.
The new suo motu case also runs parallel to the court’s continued oversight in the well-known Paramvir Singh Saini Vs Baljit Singh matter, where detailed rulings in 2018 and 2020 set out the most robust framework for CCTV installation in police stations and agencies.
The previous hearing in the Saini matter took place on February 9, 2024, before a bench led by Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, then serving as a puisne judge, alongside Justice Sandeep Mehta, who is now also on the present bench. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave continues to serve as amicus curiae in monitoring the compliance of these directives.
The rulings in the Saini case had specifically directed that cameras be placed at every entry and exit, inside lock-ups, corridors, verandahs, duty officer rooms, lobbies, and even outside washrooms. These cameras were mandated to have night vision capability, capture both audio and video, and retain the recorded data for at least 12 months, with an 18-month period being the preferred standard.
Furthermore, states and Union territories were ordered to guarantee continuous electricity and internet connectivity, even in remote areas, to ensure smooth functioning of surveillance systems. The directions were extended to central investigative agencies including the CBI, NIA, ED, NCB, DRI, and SFIO, acknowledging that custodial interrogations by these bodies also required monitoring.
Earlier, in DK Basu Vs State of West Bengal (2015), while reviewing safeguards against custodial abuse, the apex court had endorsed the installation of CCTV cameras across all police stations and jails. Although it stopped short of a universal order, it urged states to prioritize sensitive police stations and start phased implementation. Later, in Shafhi Mohammad Vs State of Himachal Pradesh (2018), the court further strengthened the framework by requiring states to establish independent oversight authorities that would periodically audit CCTV footage and make their findings public.
Yet, despite these detailed directions, affidavits filed by various states have consistently shown major lapses. Many submissions lacked clarity on the exact number of cameras, their placement, whether they recorded properly, or even if they were functional at all. Oversight committees, meant to act as accountability mechanisms, either remain non-existent or are barely operational in several states.
In May 2023, a bench headed by Justice Gavai had expressed its dissatisfaction over the lack of compliance, remarking that it was “disheartening” to note how numerous agencies had failed to take adequate measures. At that point, the court observed that only two Union territories—Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Ladakh—and two states—Mizoram and Goa—had implemented the guidelines. The bench also instructed chief secretaries and administrators of defaulting states and UTs to explain “why an action for committing contempt should not be taken against them.”
According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), between 2000 and 2022, police custody saw an average of 92 custodial deaths every year. The peak was in 2005 with 128 such cases, followed by 118 each in 2007 and 2013. The lowest was recorded in 2010, with 70 deaths.
