All 226 police stations in Delhi notified for court depositions via video conference

A senior official of the LG secretariat said that the move, under the draft model rules of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, will enable police officers to depose before courts without travelling

NEW DELHI

Currently, around 2,000 police officers appear in courts across the city every day. (Representative photo/HT Archive)

Lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Tuesday approved a notification to designate all 226 police stations in Delhi for personnel to make virtual court appearances for providing evidence through videoconferencing, in a move aimed at improving efficiency and saving time, officials aware of the developments said.

A senior official of the LG secretariat said that the move, under the draft model rules of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, will enable police officers to depose before courts without travelling, freeing up significant manpower and resources.

“The facility, however, will be strictly for police personnel—witnesses in cases will not be examined from these locations. Until now, such facilities existed only in Delhi High Court, district courts, prisons, hospitals, the Forensic Science Laboratory, and select government offices. The expansion is expected to bring in greater transparency and operational efficiency in the police force’s day-to-day functioning,” the officer said, asking not to be named.

Union home minister Amit Shah, as part of monitoring the implementation of the new criminal laws, previously directed the creation of adequate videoconferencing infrastructure in police stations to ensure smoother coordination between enforcement agencies and the judiciary.

The official cited above said the designation has been approved for its 179 territorial stations, 16 metro stations, 15 cyber stations, 8 railway stations, two stations each at the IGI Airport and Crime Branch, and one each for the Economic Offences Wing, Special Cell, women’s cell and vigilance.

Currently, around 2,000 police officers appear in courts across the city every day.