SC poses queries to Rajasthan in suo motu case over lack of functional CCTVs in police stations

New Delhi, Sep 26 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday posed questions to the Rajasthan government and directed it to apprise about the number of CCTV cameras installed in each police station across the state.

Acting in a suo motu case, the top court asked whether any regular audit was conducted to check the functioning of the installed cameras.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta subsequently asked the state to respond to queries, including whether there was any provision for surprise inspections and forensic validation of tamper proofing.

It said apparently, the non-functioning of CCTV cameras or non-preservation of the video recording and its data was in breach of the directions issued by the apex court in its December 2020 judgement.

"We, therefore, direct the Additional Advocate General of the State of Rajasthan to take notice and file a response to the following queries: - (i) number of police stations in each district. (ii) number of cameras installed in each police station with placement details," the bench said.

It also sought details about specifications of cameras like resolution, night vision, field of view, audio capture and tamper detection, besides the storage mechanism followed for storage of video data, including the period for which data was preserved.

The bench also wants to know about the frequency with which maintenance was carried out besides the escalation process invoked in case of malfunctioning and troubleshooting.

Aside from the status of internet connectivity at police stations and its integration with a centralised server or control room, the bench also sought to know about the software configuration.

The bench said the state would also apprise it about creation of standard operating procedure for the training of officers regarding access, review and retention of video footage and regarding protocols for usage, escalation and tamper proof protocols.

"Information shall be provided in respect of training of the officers in respect of data protection laws and judicial admissibility of the video footage. Whether any regular audit is conducted to check the functioning of the installed cameras. If so, the detailed report with complete statistics be placed on record," it added.

The order demanded to know whether there was audit of logs and if integrity of footage was carried out besides asking whether there was any provision for surprise inspections and forensic validation of tamper proofing.

"The response to the aforesaid queries shall be filed positively within two weeks supported by an affidavit of the Director General of Police, State of Rajasthan," the bench said and posted the matter for hearing on October 14.

On September 4, the apex court took suo motu cognisance of a media report which stated 11 lives were lost in police custody in Rajasthan in the first eight months of 2025, of which seven incidents occurred in the Udaipur Division.

The apex court in 2018 ordered installation of CCTV cameras in police stations to check human rights abuses.

In December 2020, the top court said states and union territories should ensure CCTV cameras were installed at each police station, at all entry and exit points, main gate, lock-ups, corridors, lobby and reception as also areas outside the lock-up rooms so that no part was left uncovered.

While hearing the matter on September 15, the bench flagged the issue of "oversight" and expressed having a control room without any human intervention for monitoring of feeds of CCTV cameras installed at police stations. PTI ABA ABA AMK AMK