High Court directs 24-hour CCTV operation and live monitoring in Karnataka police stations
The Karnataka High Court has directed police authorities to ensure that CCTV cameras in all police stations across the state remain operational 24 hours a day. The court also ordered live monitoring of CCTV systems in line with Supreme Court guidelines.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed that CCTV cameras installed in police stations across Karnataka must remain in working condition at all times and should not be switched off even for a minute. The direction came during the hearing of a case concerning alleged harassment at the Whitefield police station, where the police informed the court that CCTV cameras had not been functioning for 11 months due to UPS-related problems.
The High Court expressed dissatisfaction with the police response and said such lapses could affect public confidence in the police department. The court directed the authorities to ensure mandatory compliance with the Supreme Court's directions concerning the installation, maintenance and functioning of CCTV cameras in police stations.
The court also directed the office of the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG-IGP) to establish a system for live monitoring of CCTV cameras across police stations in the state. The system must enable authorities to check in real time whether the cameras are recording.
Karnataka Police CCTV Monitoring Order
The High Court's directions followed a complaint filed by a woman named Shailaja, who approached the court alleging harassment by personnel at the Whitefield police station. During the proceedings and investigation into the case, police authorities stated that the station had been facing UPS problems for the previous 11 months and that its CCTV cameras were therefore not functioning.
The explanation prompted the High Court to question the functioning and maintenance of CCTV systems at police stations. The court stated that keeping CCTV cameras non-operational for such a long period could undermine confidence in the department.
The court made it clear that CCTV systems in police stations must remain operational and that authorities cannot allow cameras to remain switched off or non-functional for extended periods.
“This response by the police will erode the public’s confidence in the department.”
The statement was made by the High Court while expressing its dissatisfaction with the explanation provided by the police regarding the non-functioning CCTV cameras at the Whitefield police station.
Bengaluru Whitefield Police Station CCTV Case
The Whitefield police station case involved allegations of harassment by station personnel. Shailaja approached the court in connection with the allegations, following which the functioning of CCTV cameras at the police station became part of the proceedings.
During the investigation, the police acknowledged that the station had experienced UPS problems for 11 months and that the CCTV system had not been working during that period.
The High Court took note of the explanation and directed the authorities to comply with the applicable Supreme Court guidelines on CCTV cameras in police stations. The court's direction covers both the installation and maintenance of CCTV systems and their continued operation.
Supreme Court CCTV Guidelines and Live Tracking
The Karnataka High Court has directed that the Supreme Court's guidelines concerning CCTV cameras in police stations must be followed mandatorily across the state.
As part of the compliance measures, the court directed the DG-IGP office to establish a mechanism for live monitoring of CCTV cameras installed in police stations. The system is intended to allow authorities to determine in real time whether the cameras are recording.
The direction places responsibility on the police administration to ensure that CCTV equipment remains functional and that its recording status can be monitored. The court has also emphasised that CCTV cameras should not be switched off even for a minute.
The order follows the court's concern over the explanation provided in the Whitefield police station case and seeks compliance with the Supreme Court's directions on CCTV installation, maintenance and monitoring in police stations across Karnataka.
