Supreme Court directs Union Home Secretary to ensure functional CCTVs in police stations; AG promises action in 2 weeks

Key Insight

Supreme Court orders functional CCTV in all police stations, boosting police accountability

Key Facts

1. Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance on 4 Sept 2025 after Dainik Bhaskar linked 11 custodial deaths to non‑functional CCTV.
2. Bench: Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta questioned the non‑replication of the Kerala model.
3. Attorney General R. Venkataramani pledged concrete action within two weeks to ensure functional CCTV across stations.
4. Kerala, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have live‑monitoring dashboards; Uttar Pradesh is still developing its system.
5. Earlier SC directive in Paramvir Singh Saini v. Baljit Singh (2020) mandated functional CCTV in every police station.
6. The Court sought details on audit mechanisms, footage preservation period, surprise inspections and tamper‑proofing.

Background

The case highlights judicial activism in policing reforms, linking constitutional guarantees of personal liberty (Art. 21) with governance tools like technology. It underscores the Union Home Secretary's role in implementing centrally‑mandated security measures and the need for uniform state‑level compliance under the federal structure.

UPSC Syllabus

• GS2 — Functions and responsibilities of Union and States
• GS2 — Constitutional posts, bodies and their powers and functions
• Essay — Philosophy, Ethics and Human Values

Mains Angle

GS 2 (Polity) – Discuss the impact of Supreme Court interventions on police accountability and the interplay between the judiciary, Union Home Ministry and state governments. Possible question: "Evaluate the role of judicial activism in strengthening internal security mechanisms in India."