#DKBasu: Install CCTVs in all prisons, Supreme Court to States

In yet another DK Basu judgment on prison reforms, the Supreme Court of India has laid down guidelines of far reaching implications. These guidelines include the installation of CCTV cameras in prisons and police stations to curb human rights violations..The judgment was delivered by a Bench of Justices TS Thakur and R Banumathi after considering the recommendations of the amicus curiae, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi..All States have been directed to install CCTV cameras in all prisons within a period of one year. The State Governments have also been asked to consider installation of CCTV cameras in police stations in a phased manner depending upon the incidents of human rights violation reported in such stations..The Court has asked all State governments to fill vacancies in their respective State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs) within three months..The States of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland have been ordered to set up SHRCs within six months..The following are the directions which have been given by the court:.“1. The States of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland shall within a period of six months from today set up State Human Rights Commissions for their respective territories with or without resort to provisions of Section 21(6) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993..2. All vacancies, for the post of Chairperson or the Member of SHRC wherever they exist at present shall be filled up by the State Governments concerned within a period of three months from today..3. Vacancies occurring against the post of Chairperson or the Members of the SHRC in future shall be filled up as expeditiously as possible but not later than three months from the date such vacancy occurs..4. The State Governments shall take appropriate action in terms of Section 30 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, in regard to setting up/specifying Human Rights Courts..5. The State Governments shall take steps to install CCTV cameras in all the prisons in their respective States, within a period of one year from today but not later than two years..6. The State Governments shall also consider installation of CCTV cameras in police stations in a phased manner depending upon the incidents of human rights violation reported in such stations..7. The State Governments shall consider appointment of non-official visitors to prisons and police stations in terms of the relevant provisions of the Act wherever they exist in the Jail Manuals or the relevant Rules and Regulations..8. The State Governments shall launch in all cases where an enquiry establishes culpability of the persons in whose custody the victim has suffered death or injury, an appropriate prosecution for the commission of offences disclosed by such enquiry report and/or investigation in accordance with law..9. The State Governments shall consider deployment of at least two women constables in each police station wherever such deployment is considered necessary having regard to the number of women taken for custodial interrogation or interrogation for other purposes over the past two years.”.How effectively and speedily these directions and guidelines would be implemented remains to be seen..Image taken from here.