The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to all states and Union Territories (UTs) on a petition, seeking direction to the Centre to advise all police stations against registering FIRs under Section 66A, which was declared unconstitutional by the top court on March 24, 2015.
The state follows others in setting up its first “Baal Mitra Police Thana” and as per the Juvenile Justice Act, has a separate room with bright colours and paintings in an effort to appear sensitive and approachable.
The apex court order to have CCTVs in the centres may be an attempt to check police brutality, but it is not practical as torture often takes place in barracks, quarters and safe houses away from cameras.
CCTV cameras must be installed with digital video recorder systems or network video recorders so that the data that is stored thereon shall be preserved for a period of 18 months, said the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has asked the Union government to clarify what exactly its position is vis-à-vis CCTV cameras in police stations, because this involves the fundamental rights of the citizens under Article 21 of the Constitution.