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NEW DELHI, October 14 (PMI): The Supreme Court of India, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, questioned the Rajasthan government regarding the non-installation of CCTV cameras in police stations during a suo motu case concerning the matter. The court asked the state government why CCTV cameras had not been installed in the Interrogation Rooms of police stations.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta remarked that the interrogation room is a crucial area where CCTV cameras should be mandatory. The court noted, “According to your affidavit, there is no camera present in the interrogation room.” Citing the agency’s report, the Supreme Court stressed that while installing the cameras would incur costs, it is a matter of human rights.
The court also asked the state government about its plan for establishing a proper surveillance system. The Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognizance of the issue on September 4, following a media report that stated 11 people had died in police custody in Rajasthan during the first eight months of the current year, with 7 of these incidents occurring in the Udaipur division alone.
It is noteworthy that the Supreme Court issued a directive in 2018 ordering the installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations to curb human rights violations. During Tuesday’s hearing, the bench also questioned why an external agency could not be involved in the monitoring process.
The court heard arguments from Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, who was appointed as amicus curiae (Justice Friend) to assist the court in a separate case. In that case, the Supreme Court had directed the central government in December 2020 to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment in the offices of various investigative agencies, including the CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and NIA.
Siddharth Dave informed the bench that he had submitted a fresh report in the matter, emphasizing the urgent need for an effective surveillance system. The bench, referencing the affidavit submitted by the Rajasthan government, reiterated that no CCTV camera is present in the interrogation rooms of police stations.
The Supreme Court directed the Center and other states to file their responses to the report submitted by the amicus curiae. The court adjourned the next hearing in the case until November 24(pressmediaofindia.com)
