The Bombay High Court on Monday said the Maharashtra government has not done anything substantial with regard to the installation of CCTVs in police stations across the state. A division bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and M N Jadhav said in the past whenever the court asked for CCTV footage in any case, the police refused with one excuse or the other. “Let us be candid and say that this is all done intentionally,” Justice Kathawalla said.
The HC said that the Supreme Court had in December 2020 passed an order directing all states to install CCTVs in police stations. “Nothing substantial has been done in Maharashtra in the past two years. Has anyone even bothered to read the Supreme Court order? You (state government) have to comply with the SC order,” the high court said.
The whole purpose of the Supreme Court order was to ensure transparency and hence, only “paper compliance” would not suffice, the HC said. “You (Maharashtra government) need to set up a committee to look into all this, otherwise no one would be bothered,” the court said.
Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, appearing for the state government, told the court that work is being carried out by two contractors to install CCTVs in police stations and to repair the ones which are currently non-functional. As per an affidavit submitted by the government in the court on Monday, there are 1,089 police stations in the state. So far 6,092 CCTVs have been installed in 547 police stations. Out of these cameras, 5,639 are functional, while the remaining are non-functional. Kumbhakoni said the contractors have been asked to repair all the non-functional CCTVs in 15 days.
The bench then said steps are being by taken only after orders are passed and till then, nothing is done. The HC also said that as per the apex court order, the CCTVs have to be placed at all the entry and exit points, inside lock-ups, in the rooms of the inspector, sub-inspectors and other places. Kumbhakoni said this was “most probably” being complied with. The court also sought to know from the government as to why the tender to install CCTVs in the police stations was awarded only to two contractors. “Why can’t you (government) have more than two contractors for the job? Would these two contractors be able to do such a major job? Are they equipped?” the HC asked.
Kumbhakoni informed the bench that an agreement was made with the two contractors in November 2020 to install the CCTVs within a period of 22 weeks and thereafter, maintain the same for five years. “The work of wiring is complete in all police stations. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and non-availability of some hardware parts, further work could not be done. Hence, payment was withheld and was made in January 2022 when the work resumed,” Kumbhakoni said.
The HC posted the matter for further hearing on March 2 and asked the government to submit to it documents related to the tender awarded and also the work experience of the two contractors.
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