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The state governments of Punjab, Haryana, and the administration of the union territory of Chandigarh have tabled their target dates before the Punjab and Haryana High Court by which CCTV cameras will be installed in States' and UT's all police stations and police posts.

The submissions in this regard were made before the bench of Justice Amol Rattan Singh. April 1, 2022 is the deadline for Haryana Government, however, the state has said that there may be some delay due to the fresh outbreak of the pandemic. 

Punjab has set May 10, 2022, for completion of the task, however, regarding the union territory of Chandigarh, the court was told that all police stations and police posts in the UT already stand equipped but up-gradation of the same would take about 5 months. The UT has also sought a 1-month 'buffer' period in that regard.

This development has taken place in pursuance of the high court's one earlier order whereby the governments were asked to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court's directions in Paramvir Singh Saini v. Baljit Singh and others. In that case, the top court had directed the governments of both the states and the union territory to ensure that CCTV cameras are installed in each and every Police Station functioning under them.

Last month, hearing a plea filed by an alleged gangster Kaushal, accused in the gruesome murder of Youth Akal Dal leader Vikramjit Middukhera, demanding his interrogation and movements in and out of the jail to be videographed, the court had noted that CCTVs should be installed in every part of police stations.

The court had further elucidated that no part of the police stations should be left uncovered by CCTV surveillance, not even the interrogation rooms and to make these observations effective, court had sought responses from the Director-Generals of Police (DGPs) of Haryana & Punjab, and also from the DGP of Union Territory of Chandigarh regarding compliance of Supreme Court's order.

In accordance with the same, present information was submitted before the high court. 

Case Title: Kaushal v. State of Haryana and others and two other