New Delhi, May 13 Most of the states and Union Territories were proceeding in the right direction and substantial work was carried out with regard to the installation of CCTVs in police stations, the Supreme Court was informed on Wednesday.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and Vijay Bishnoi said the Centre would consider the requests from the states for disbursal of funds for the purpose of installing CCTVs in police stations.
The top court was hearing a suo motu matter concerning the lack of functional CCTVs in police stations.
Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, who is assisting the top court as an amicus curiae in the matter, said that pursuant to the April 28 order, he held a meeting on May 6 with the representatives of the Centre, all states and UTs and has filed a report in the court.
Dave referred to the states which have sought funds from the Centre.
"It's moving in the good direction," the amicus curiae said. He said some issues needed to be addressed and he would hold a meeting with the authorities in June or July.
The bench posted the matter for hearing on July 22.
While hearing the matter on April 28, the top court said that a meeting be convened on May 6 to deliberate on the aspect of utilisation of funds by the states on the installation of CCTVs in police stations across the country.
The issue had cropped up after the aspect of utilisation of funds by the states was flagged before the court.
Dave had told the bench that in UTs, the Centre gives 100 per cent funds while in hilly states, the central government gives 90 per cent funding.
He had said that in the remaining states, the Centre gives 60 per cent, while the rest 40 per cent funding is by the respective state.
On April 7, the Centre told the top court that all issues concerning the installation of CCTVs in police stations would be sorted out within two weeks.
The apex court in February directed the Centre and others to participate in a meeting to deliberate upon the feasibility, modalities and implementation framework of the issues, including the creation of a centralised dashboard and standardisation of CCTV infrastructure in police stations.
It had earlier directed registration of a suo motu case over the lack of functional CCTVs in police stations after taking cognisance of a media report.
The apex court had, in 2018, ordered the installation of CCTV cameras across police stations to check human rights abuses.
In December 2020, the top court directed the Centre to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment at the offices of investigating agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the National Investigation Agency.
It said that states and UTs should ensure that CCTV cameras were installed at every police station, at all entry and exit points, main gate, lock-ups, corridors, lobby and reception, as well as in areas outside the lock-up rooms so that no part was left uncovered.
The top court said that CCTV systems must be equipped with night vision and have audio as well as video footage.
The court made it mandatory for the Centre, states and the UTs to purchase such systems which allow storage of data for at least one year.
