The Delhi High Court has directed the authorities to take a decision within six months on framing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) governing the operation and use of body-worn cameras by police personnel, including the storage and handling of recorded data.
A Division Bench of Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma were hearing a PIL seeking a defined mechanism for the use of body-worn cameras during protests, demonstrations and crowd-control situations to ensure accountability in cases involving allegations of excessive police force or violence by protesters.
Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that while body-worn cameras were already being used in certain contexts, including by traffic police, and tenders had been issued for their procurement, there was no comprehensive SOP governing their mandatory use during protests, preservation of recordings, access, chain of custody and prevention of selective recording.
Sibal argued that authenticated and preserved recordings could help resolve competing allegations concerning police action and protester violence. He submitted that existing Delhi Police standing orders primarily contemplate third-party videography of demonstrations and do not specifically provide for cameras worn by individual police personnel.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Union government, submitted that existing standing orders already provide for videography of protests and demonstrations. He also relied on the Supreme Court’s directions in, concerning the regulation and videography of demonstrations.
The Court permitted the PIL to be treated as a representation and directed the respondents to communicate their decision on framing an SOP for the operation and use of body-worn cameras, including the handling and storage of recorded data, within six months.
The Court also granted liberty to the petitioner to approach it afresh in case of any grievance regarding inaction by the authorities or the reasonableness of the SOP eventually framed.
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