Why haven't CCTVs been installed, Delhi High Court asks govt

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Centre, the Delhi police and the Delhi government on a plea which sought 100 per cent installation of CCTVs in different police stations of the national Capital.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also observed that there was already an order to install the CCTVs which has not been complied with.

"You (Delhi government) have not installed CCTVs since 2012-13. We (another bench of high court) ordered the installation of CCTVs. There are a lot of allegations against you (police)... There should be recording facilities for CCTV footage also. Five years is long enough to do this," the bench noted.

Appearing for the Delhi government, standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose informed the court that the work would be done.

However, the court transferred the matter before a bench, which is already hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) initiated by the high court on the issue of women's safety.

The court's direction came on a plea filed by social activist Ajay Gautam, who has contended that there have been several deaths inside police stations and these could have been prevented with the installation of the CCTVs.

"Delhi has 192 police stations and 42 police chowkies in which only 59 police stations have been covered with partly surveillance of CCTV cameras, not 100 per cent. It is important to mention here only four Station House Officers (SHO) have CCTV cameras in their office of the 192 SHO. It is further submitted that not a single CCTV camera is installed in room/office of any of investigation officers in all 192 police stations and 42 chowkies," the plea said.

The petition also contended that CCTVs were required in the police stations "to ensure transparency" in their functioning.