Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Ranchi, Nov 18 (IANS) The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday issued a strict direction to the state government, ordering that all 334 police stations in the state be fully equipped with CCTV cameras by January 5, 2026.
The court said that the absence of modern surveillance systems in police stations not only hinders monitoring of law and order but also undermines the fundamental rights of citizens.
Terming the delay as a “serious concern”, the bench said any further indifference will not be tolerated.
The direction came during the hearing of a PIL before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan.
As directed earlier, the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), and Secretary of the IT Department appeared in person.
The court ordered that the detailed project report (DPR) and tender process for installation of CCTV cameras be completed by December 31.
The court said the installation should begin immediately in all police stations and be fully implemented by the January 5 deadline, failing which the case would be treated as contempt of court.
The PIL was filed by West Bengal resident Shobhik Banerjee, who alleged that he was illegally detained for two days at the Bank Mode police station in Dhanbad when he had gone there to seek bail in a check bounce case.
He claimed that the police pressured him to take the side of the opposing party. Banerjee told the court that CCTV footage should have documented the entire episode, but the police responded that only two days’ worth of backup was available, and vital records were missing.
The bench expressed strong displeasure, terming the lack of proper CCTV coverage in a major city like Dhanbad as “worrying” and “unacceptable”.
The state government assured the court that all the processes would be completed within the stipulated time frame. The matter will be taken up again on January 5 for compliance monitoring.
–IANS
snc/skp/and