Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court has ordered a statewide review of Police Station CCTV systems and backup power facilities across Uttar Pradesh. The court issued the direction while hearing an alleged illegal detention case, saying that every police station must have working CCTV cameras, generators, and solar panels to ensure uninterrupted surveillance.
The order came after the court found that a police station involved in the case had a non-functional generator and solar panel, making its CCTV cameras dependent on regular electricity supply.
Why Did The Allahabad High Court Issue UP Police CCTV Infrastructure Review Order
The case was related to an allegation that a person was illegally kept inside a police lock-up after visiting a police station to file a complaint. During the hearing, the police informed the court that CCTV footage from the date of the alleged detention could not be verified because there was no electricity at the police station.
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The bench of Justices Ajit Kumar and Garima Prashad expressed concern over the poor condition of essential infrastructure at the police station.
Court Directs DGP To Ensure Functional CCTV Systems
The High Court directed the Director General of Police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh, to ensure that every police station in the state has:
- Functional CCTV cameras
- Working generators
- Operational solar panels
- Continuous electricity supply for surveillance
The court also asked the DGP to issue necessary instructions across Uttar Pradesh so that police stations remain fully equipped for effective policing and accountability.
Why Did The Court Question The Police Station’s Infrastructure
The Station House Officer (SHO) told the court that although the police station had a generator, it had remained out of order. As a result, the CCTV cameras depended entirely on electricity supplied by the power department. The judges observed that it was surprising that such an important government institution could continue functioning without a working backup power system.
The court sought an explanation from the district Superintendent of Police (SP) about why the generator had not been repaired and why no steps had been taken to restore backup power.
UP Police CCTV Infrastructure Review: What Did The Inquiry Reveal
An affidavit filed by the electricity department stated that although the scheduled electricity supply was 18 hours on the relevant date, the actual supply lasted only around 13 hours and 4 minutes.
The court directed that CCTV footage should immediately be copied from the hard disk and preserved on a pen drive to prevent any possibility of tampering. The SP’s affidavit further revealed that:
- The generator had remained non-functional since December 2024.
- The solar panel at the police station was also not working.
- No official request had been sent for repairs or maintenance.
The SHO, who had been posted there since August 31, 2025, could not explain why no action had been taken. However, he assured the court that the generator would be repaired within three to four days.
Who Is Responsible For CCTV Maintenance
The High Court held that maintaining uninterrupted electricity supply and backup systems at police stations is primarily the responsibility of the Superintendent of Police (SP) or Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). The court also said that SHOs are equally responsible for ensuring that generators, solar panels, and CCTV cameras remain operational through timely repairs and maintenance. According to the bench, failure to maintain these facilities amounts to dereliction of duty.
UP Police CCTV Infrastructure Review: Directions Issued By The High Court
The court ordered:
- A statewide review of CCTV cameras and backup power systems at all police stations.
- The district SP to personally submit the operational status of generators, solar panels, and CCTV systems.
- The DGP to ensure proper infrastructure across Uttar Pradesh police stations.
- Safe preservation of CCTV footage related to the alleged illegal detention case.
The SP had already initiated a preliminary inquiry into the SHO’s conduct, and the court expressed hope that appropriate action would follow.
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