SC Takes Suo Motu Action Over Non-Functional Police CCTV Cameras

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday registered a suo motu case concerning the lack of functional CCTV cameras in police stations across India. The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, acted after reviewing a media report that 11 people died in police custody in Rajasthan during the first eight months of 2025.

The report highlighted that many police stations either do not provide CCTV footage in custodial death cases or have remand rooms located outside camera coverage. Police officials cited technical faults, storage issues, ongoing investigations, legal restrictions, or outright refusal as reasons for withholding footage.

The apex court has previously mandated the installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations to ensure transparency and prevent custodial torture. Directions issued earlier required state and central oversight bodies to review footage for human rights violations and ensure proper functioning of cameras.

Under existing guidelines, the Station House Officer (SHO) is responsible for maintaining CCTV data, backing up recordings, and addressing technical faults. The Supreme Court has emphasized that every part of a police station must be covered by cameras, with footage stored in digital or network video recorders for a minimum of 18 months.

In April 2023, the Supreme Court had given the Centre, state governments, and Union Territories a “last chance” to complete CCTV installations inside police stations within three months. The suo motu case signals renewed scrutiny over compliance with these directives and the urgent need to ensure accountability in custodial settings.