Checking custodial torture sc does well to mandate cctvs in all police stations and set up human rights courts

Checking custodial torture sc does well to mandate cctvs in all police stations and set up human rights courts

In a welcome move, the Supreme Court has ordered the Centre, states and Union Territories to compulsorily install CCTV cameras with night vision and recording facilities in all police stations and the offices of central agencies like CBI, NIA, ED, NCB, DRI, SFIO and others, to prevent custodial torture. It has asked state governments to allocate adequate funds for installation of CCTVs and fastened the responsibility of maintaining them to station house officers. It has directed that no part of a police station or areas where interrogations are carried out should be left uncovered.

Additionally, the apex court has ordered the setting up of human rights courts in each district under the Protection of Human Rights Act to enable custodial torture complaints to be made to these courts. Both moves are extremely important and will serve as a deterrent against abuse of power by law enforcement authorities. Far too often custodial torture isn’t taken seriously in India. This not only undermines the integrity of law enforcement but also incentivises corruption in the policing system. The consequences can be horrific as exemplified by the custodial torture and death of a father-son duo in Tamil Nadu’s Santhankulam police station earlier this year.

That said, implementing the SC’s order will be a challenge. Funding for police is already constrained in most states and this could be cited as an excuse to not install the requisite number of CCTVs. Plus, there is likely to be resistance from the police themselves who have grown accustomed to their current methods of operating which aren’t tenable as per law. This is why there needs to be proper monitoring of the implementation of the SC’s order. It is here that the setting up of human rights courts in each district is more important to serve as a check against police abuse. These should be established quickly to ensure that the SC’s order is followed in both letter and spirit.