CCTV systems in police stations: UP to upgrade infra in all 1,586 PSs following SC order

Uttar Pradesh will upgrade CCTV systems in all 1,586 police stations for better monitoring and accountability, following a Supreme Court directive.

In a major step towards transparency and accountability, Uttar Pradesh is set to upgrade CCTV infrastructure across all 1,586 police stations in the state, following directives from the Supreme Court and the state government. The move aims to ensure round-the-clock monitoring and curb instances of custodial torture and human rights violations.

For representation only (HT File Photo)

Senior district police officials have sought detailed reports from all 42 police stations in the district regarding their existing CCTV infrastructure. Station house officers (SHOs) have been instructed to submit data on the number of cameras currently installed, their placement, data backup capacity, etc and recommendations for upgrade with proper justification, if any.

The initiative comes after the Supreme Court’s landmark 2020 ruling in the Paramveer Saini vs. Baljeet Singh Saini case, which mandated the installation of functional CCTV cameras with recording equipment in all police stations and central investigative agency offices across India. The court also directed that footage be preserved for at least one year.

To implement these guidelines, the state government has approved a budget of ₹32.03 crore for upgrading CCTV systems. The plan includes installing cameras at strategic points such as entry and exit gates, lock-ups, corridors, and reception areas. All systems—CCTV cameras, Network Video Recorders (NVRs), hard disks, and battery backups—will be modernised to ensure uninterrupted 24x7 functioning and year-long data storage.

A government order dated November 5, 2025, clearly defines the responsibilities of SHOs, nodal officers, and designated CCTV monitoring personnel. Daily checks of camera functionality, review of previous night’s recordings, immediate reporting of malfunctions, and register entries have been made mandatory. SHOs will personally verify recordings every morning, and both SHOs and nodal officers will be held accountable for any tampering or technical lapses.

According to ACP, Police Lines, Rajkumar Meena, “CCTVs are already installed in all police stations of the district, and reports have been sought for its upgrade. Additional cameras will be installed wherever required, and data backup for at least one year will be ensured.”

Officials believe the move will significantly boost public confidence. Citizens often fear misbehavior when approaching police stations, but authorities say this hi-tech measure will help eliminate such concerns permanently.