HC rejects Chandigarh's plea for more time, sets May 10 deadline

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, February 24

Turning down Union Territory of Chandigarh’s plea for six months’ additional time for “upgrade” of CCTV cameras installed in all police stations and police posts across the city in terms of the Supreme Court orders, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has set May 10 as the deadline for the purpose.

The High Court has also made it clear that appropriate action, if required, may be taken under the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act against all concerned. Justice Amol Rattan Singh also made it clear that the direction would be applicable to both States of Punjab and Haryana as well with May 10 as their deadline too.

The direction came less than a month after UT additional public prosecutor Rajeev Anand submitted that all police stations and police posts in Chandigarh already stood equipped with cameras, but upgrade in terms of the Supreme Court order in “Paramvir Singh Saini’s case” would take about five months. Additional month’s ‘buffer’ was also sought.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, Justice Amol Rattan Singh asserted the Supreme Court had actually granted specific time vide order dated March 2, 2021. Seemingly some latitude was given thereafter in order dated April 6, 2021, inasmuch as the Union of India was granted about seven months to comply with the directions issued earlier.

Justice Amol Rattan Singh added no such order was actually passed for the States of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. But they had been given time effectively till August 1, 2021, to carry out the orders dated March 2, 2021. It was “very strange” that even after more than six months, Chandigarh was asking for six months more.

Justice Amol Rattan further said: “Consequently, I would see absolutely no ground to grant that much time to Chandigarh. But with the States of Punjab and Haryana having been directed to complete the work in terms of the directions of the Supreme Court by May 10, the UT would also do the same by that date, failing which, naturally, appropriate action, if need be, under the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, may need to be taken against all concerned in both States of Punjab and Haryana, and the UT Chandigarh”.

Fixing the case for April 18, Justice Amol Rattan directed the filing of affidavits by the Additional Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary/Secretary Home of each State/Union Territory on the progress made”.

The directions came after an accused filed a plea through senior advocate Bipan Ghai with counsel Paras Talwar. He was seeking directions for conducting videography from the time of leaving the jail premises till reaching the police station concerned for interrogation. Ghai also prayed for direction to record the interrogation.