Following the Delhi Police’s admission that CCTV cameras at its stations and posts in the national capital do not have audio recording facility, the Delhi High Court has sought a response from the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure compliance of the Supreme Court order on installation of cameras in police stations.
“Total 10 CCTV cameras are installed in each police station and 4/5 cameras in each police post, depending upon the size of the post, covering all essential places of the police station/police post building(s). However, the CCTV system already installed in police stations and police posts (chowkis), presently, do not have audio recording facility,” police said.
Justice Anu Malhotra in an order said it is “essential” that directions passed by the Supreme Court in December 2020 are complied with, and listed the matter for hearing on September 27.
The court has passed the direction in a case alleging that a complainant was allegedly threatened and harassed by certain private people in front of police officials at Nabi Karim police station in May. The petition prayed for preservation of the CCTV footage of the incident. The court was told CCTV cameras do not have the audio recording facility.
Advocate Sufian Siddiqui, representing the petitioner, had argued before the court, “To preserve and uphold the primacy of ‘Rule of Law’, to protect the sacrosanct fundamental rights of the common man and to restore their faith in the functioning of the Delhi Police, it is expedient that the court’s directions are complied with on an exigent basis.”
