Allahabad High Court: UP DGP Ordered to Review Police Station CCTV Infrastructure

• The Allahabad High Court ordered a statewide review of police station CCTV infrastructure after finding a non-functional generator and solar panel at a police station.
• The court held that ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply with adequate backup is primarily the responsibility of the Superintendent of Police or Senior Superintendent of Police.
• Failure to maintain functional surveillance infrastructure may be considered a dereliction of duty by senior police officers.

Ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply with adequate backup at police stations is primarily the responsibility of the Superintendent of Police or Senior Superintendent of Police.

A writ petition alleging illegal detention at a police station in Uttar Pradesh led to an Allahabad High Court review of the state's police station CCTV infrastructure. The court found that the police station had a non-functional generator and solar panel, leaving it dependent on electricity supply for operating CCTV cameras. This oversight was discovered during several hearings where the Station House Officer (SHO) appeared personally before the court. When questioned about the lack of backup power, the SHO explained that the generator was not working, but assured the court that it would be repaired within three or four days.

The Allahabad High Court's order is significant because it highlights the importance of maintaining functional CCTV cameras and backup power at police stations. The court held that ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply with adequate backup at police stations is primarily the responsibility of the Superintendent of Police or Senior Superintendent of Police. This ruling underscores the need for accountability in policing, particularly in sensitive institutions like police stations where discipline and accountability must be maintained.

The Allahabad High Court's review of Uttar Pradesh's police station CCTV infrastructure has far-reaching implications for law enforcement agencies across India. The court's emphasis on maintaining functional surveillance infrastructure underscores the need for senior police officers to ensure that their stations are equipped with reliable backup power and functioning CCTV cameras. Failure to do so may be considered a dereliction of duty, highlighting the importance of compliance exposure in policing.

Lawyers should watch for potential compliance exposure related to the maintenance of functional CCTV cameras and backup power at police stations, as failure to ensure uninterrupted surveillance infrastructure may be considered a dereliction of duty by senior police officers.

Source: Original reporting via The Indian Express