Gujarat Information Commission Mandates Preservation of CCTV Footage in Police Stations

The Gujarat Information Commission has ordered police to preserve CCTV footage at stations when requested under the RTI Act. In an appeal case, it was revealed many requests go unmet, often due to claimed technical faults. The order warns of penalties for non-compliance.

The Gujarat Information Commission has expressed dissatisfaction with the police for failing to provide CCTV footage of police stations as requested by citizens under the RTI Act. The commission has directed officials to ensure such images are preserved or face potential action.

In a directive issued on July 19, the commission specified that when a right to information request is lodged within 30 days of an incident, the relevant CCTV footage must be maintained. A case from Ahmedabad's Naroda locality highlighted this issue when a citizen's footage request from the Shaher Kotda Police Station went unanswered, prompting an appeal.

The commission cited frequent occurrences of deleted footage, often blamed on 'technical faults'. It stressed that both the Gujarat Director General of Police and the General Administration Department have issued instructions to preserve this material, emphasizing that compliance is essential to fulfill the purpose of CCTV installations in police stations.