'The government has done nothing meaningful to install CCTV cameras at police stations,' according to the Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court ruled on Monday that the Maharashtra government has done nothing to ensure that CCTV cameras are installed at police stations across the state. In the past, whenever the court requested CCTV footage in any matter, the police denied it with one pretext or another, according to a division bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and M N Jadhav.

 

"Let us be honest and admit that everything has been done on purpose," Justice Kathawalla stated. According to the HC, the Supreme Court issued an order in December 2020 mandating all states to install CCTV cameras in police stations. "Maharashtra has done nothing significant in the last two years. Has anyone taken the time to read the Supreme Court's decision? You (the state government) must follow the Supreme Court's order "According to the Supreme Court.

 

The Supreme Court's ruling was designed to ensure transparency, therefore "paper compliance" would not be sufficient, according to the HC. The court stated, "You (Maharashtra government) need to form up a committee to look into all of this, otherwise no one would be bothered."

 

Two contractors are working to install CCTVs in police stations and fix those that are currently non-functional, according to Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, who is representing the state government in court. According to an affidavit filed in court on Monday by the administration, the state has 1,089 police stations. 6092 CCTV cameras have been installed at 547 police stations thus far. Only 5,639 of the cameras are operational, with the rest being inoperable.

 

 

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