Karnataka HC orders state-wide CCTV audit in police stations

Karnataka High Court has ordered a state-wide technical and administrative audit of CCTV systems and their power-backup arrangements across all police stations. Justice Suraj Govindaraj emphasized that CCTV surveillance is an essential accountability mechanism, not merely a matter of installing cameras.

The order arose from a case where CCTV footage was unavailable from Whitefield Police Station for an alleged incident on 4 September 2024. The State attributed this to a non-functional UPS system that had been down for 11 months. The Court held that merely installing cameras does not comply with Supreme Court directions unless systems remain continuously functional.

The Court directed authorities to establish real-time monitoring and accountability mechanisms to detect failures, ensure timely repairs, and fix responsibility for prolonged non-functioning of CCTV systems in police stations.