VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday adjourned a hearing on the installation of CCTV cameras in police stations across the State, following a report by Advocate Commissioner MRK Chakravarthy.
The court was hearing a contempt petition filed by advocate Tandava Yogesh in 2022, alleging non-compliance with Supreme Court directives to install CCTV cameras in all police stations and jails.
Chakravarthy reported that he inspected six police stations in the erstwhile Krishna and Guntur districts—Penamaluru, Amaravati, Tulluru, Arundelpet, Nallapadu, and Mangalagiri. While CCTV cameras had been installed, he said they were insufficient to cover the entire premises.
On average, each station had about 10 cameras, with Mangalagiri having 11. However, cameras were installed only on the ground floor in stations with multiple floors, leaving upper floors without surveillance.
He further noted that police officials said they lacked direct access to retrieve footage from Digital Video Recorders (DVRs). Footage is shared via email from relevant offices only when required, and passwords are changed immediately after access in emergencies.
Since no police officials were present during inspections, he could not gather details about video recording processes, DVR access, or storage duration. He also said he was not permitted to inspect the Superintendent of Police offices in Guntur and Krishna, preventing verification of footage availability or audio clarity. Special Government Pleader Tirumanu Vishnuteja requested more time to provide details on DVR storage. The court granted the request and adjourned the hearing to Thursday.
The case originated from a PIL filed by Yogesh in 2019 seeking enforcement of the Supreme Court’s 2015 orders on CCTV installation. The High Court had directed phased implementation on July 15, 2019, but alleged non-compliance led to the 2022 contempt petition.
Additionally, a habeas corpus petition filed by Kataru Nagaraju in November 2024 alleged the illegal detention of his brother, Gopiraju, by Machavaram police in Palnadu district.
During recent hearings, the court raised doubts about police reports by Sub-Divisional Police Officers certifying full CCTV coverage. To verify, it appointed the Advocate Commissioner to conduct inspections.