Overview
- The court noted that only 11 states and Union Territories have submitted compliance affidavits and that the Union government has yet to file its own.
- Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the Centre would file an affidavit, but the bench stressed that demonstrable compliance is required, not just paperwork.
- The matter is listed for December 16, with orders that principal home secretaries of defaulting states and directors of central agencies must appear in person if deadlines are missed.
- The proceedings stem from a 2020 ruling requiring audio‑video, night‑vision CCTV coverage across police stations and central agency offices with 18‑month data preservation and proper oversight.
- Amicus submissions flagged non‑functional cameras, missing SOPs, weak data preservation, and absent budgets in some agencies, as the bench cited Madhya Pradesh’s centralized control rooms and discussed automated monitoring to prevent tampering.