CCTVs in police stations: Jharkhand yet to install a single camera, Himachal only state to receive Centre’s funds
3 min readNew DelhiJul 23, 2026 10:51 AM IST
21 states and union territories have submitted proposals or state action plans seeking funds for the 2026-27 financial year to install CCTV cameras. (Express Photo)
Despite a 2020 Supreme Court mandate to install CCTV cameras in all police stations to curb custodial torture, Jharkhand is yet to install a camera in even a single police station. This was highlighted in a report submitted to the court by Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave, appointed by the court as amicus curiae – a lawyer meant to assist the bench impartially.
The report, submitted to the court on Wednesday, notes the progress of states seeking financial assistance under the Union government’s “Assistance to States and Union Territories for Modernisation of Police” (ASUMP) scheme.
According to it, 21 states and union territories have submitted proposals or state action plans seeking funds for the 2026-27 financial year to install CCTV cameras and set up centralised dashboard monitoring systems for police stations.
However, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the proposals of only Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Chandigarh. The proposals of the remaining states and union territories are still under consideration and awaiting approval.
Karnataka saw Rs 173 crore approved against a proposed Rs 278 crore, while Andhra Pradesh had Rs 46.58 crore approved against a Rs 47.58 crore proposal. Arunachal Pradesh (Rs 17.64 crore), Manipur (Rs 2.3 crore), Sikkim (Rs 1.92 crore), Chandigarh (Rs 0.71 crore), Mizoram (Rs 0.63 crore), and Goa (Rs 0.47 crore) are also awaiting the release of their approved funds.
The report notes that Himachal Pradesh is the only State that to have received funds from the Union government under the scheme for the current financial year, receiving Rs 8.69 crore against a proposed Rs 12.84 crore.
Four states and three union territories – Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry – informed that they had sufficient funds in their own budgets to comply with the court’s directives and did not require central assistance.
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On the other hand, Bihar, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have not yet submitted proposals to the Union Home Ministry but have indicated they need financial assistance.
A significant concern raised in the report is the impending lapse of the ASUMP scheme for the 2026-27 financial year. The Union government had earlier stated that a substantial portion of the allocated funds, amounting to Rs 1,850 crore, remained available for utilisation by the states. However, during a review meeting on July 11, the Centre indicated that the scheme is lapsing and available funds are now limited.
Dave has requested the Supreme Court to direct the Home Ministry to “extend the duration of the ASUMP 2026-27 till December 2027” and to allocate more funds to facilitate the implementation of the court’s guidelines.
Source: Indian Express
