CCTVs in courts will go a long way to ensure justice

Judiciary is the final abode for people to secure justice without resort to private vengeance. Courts are held to be temples of justice. The functioning of courts will have to be transparent and accessible to all persons. But for safety reasons, and in order to protect the privacy of those approaching the courts, it has not been possible to throw open the gates of all the courts for public scrutiny.

Due to the constant threats faced by the Courts that have led to disturbance of their work, security has been beefed up in such manner that physical access to  court premises itself is becoming an uphill task. The Madras High Court spends more than Rs 60 crore through Central Industrial Security Force to screen and stall the entry of people into its precincts. Such restrictive practice is against the very concept of courts being public places to secure justice. It alienates the common persons from judiciary. 

It is in this context that the order passed by the  Supreme Court of India in the case of Pradyuman Bisht vs Union of India & Others, dated March 28, 2017 by Justice AK Goel and Justice UU Lalith is significant. The Judges have ordered that, “In every State / Union Territory (with the exception of small States/Union Territories where it may be considered to be difficult to do so by the concerned High Courts), CCTV cameras (without audio recording) may be installed inside the courts and at such important locations of the court complexes as may be considered appropriate. Monitor thereof may be in the Chamber of the concerned District and Sessions Judge. Location of the district courts and any other issues concerning the subject may be decided by the respective High Courts. We make it clear that the footage of the CCTV camera will not be available under the RTI and will not be supplied to anyone without permission of the concerned High Court. Installation may be completed within three months from today. The report of such experiment be submitted within one month of such installation by the Registrar Generals of the respective High Courts to the Secretary General of this Court who may have it tabulated and placed before the Court.” 

MOVE TOWARDS TRANPARENCY 

Installation of CCTV cameras in all court halls would go a long way in instilling a sense of transparency and accountability of the courts and all other players in the Courts. Of late, we hear and read of the litigants / advocates indulging in contemptuous behaviour inside the Courts and also judicial pronouncements that go overboard. All players in the Courts - whether it be clients, Court officers (including judges) or advocates - could be made accountable for their acts with proof if CCTV footage of the working of the Courts are made available. The Supreme Court has rightly exercised caution while not permitting the availability of such footage through RTI applications. Abuse of the footage could be averted by such caution and injunction. Yet, the very fact that the proceedings are recorded will make the Courts function with restraint and as per law.

Science and technology should be used in harnessing the efficient working of all institutions. It is not merely the Parliament and Assembly sessions but all government offices, police stations, prisons, hospitals, educational institutions etc. should also have CCTVs installed, in order to ensure a corruption-free, transparent society. This case has been posted to Wednesday, August 9, 2017, for further consideration in the Supreme Court. Hope, the order will be expanded to install CCTVs in all Courts, to ensure transparency and accountability.