NEW DELHI, April 7, 2026 : The Centre has assured the Supreme Court of India that all issues related to the installation and functioning of CCTV cameras in police stations across the country will be resolved within two weeks.
Appearing before the bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, Attorney General R Venkataramani informed the court that the government is actively reviewing the matter and holding discussions with concerned authorities.
The court is currently hearing a batch of pleas, including a suo motu case, regarding gaps in the implementation of CCTV systems in police stations.
🔍 Key Developments:
- Centre to resolve all pending CCTV issues within 2 weeks
- Meetings to be held with amicus curiae and officials
- Next hearing scheduled for April 28
The bench also emphasized the need for uniform implementation, suggesting that states adopt models like that of Kerala, which has already developed an effective centralized dashboard system.
The top court has been consistently pushing for surveillance reforms since its landmark 2018 and 2020 directives, which mandated:
- CCTV installation in all police stations & investigative agencies
- Coverage of lock-ups, entry/exit points, corridors, and surroundings
- Systems with night vision, audio-video recording, and 1-year data storage
These measures aim to ensure transparency, accountability, and prevention of human rights violations in custodial environments.
The court has also relaxed the requirement for the Union Home Secretary’s personal appearance unless deemed necessary in future hearings.
