By March 31, 2025, all police stations and outposts in the state must have CCTV surveillance systems installed, according to a significant ruling by the Orissa High Court. This follows a public interest lawsuit that created uproar in the state due to wrongdoing at the Bharatpur Police Station towards an army major and his female companion.

Need for Central Monitoring

Within the allotted time, the Orissa High Court has mandated that these CCTV systems be incorporated into a central monitoring system. The goal of this action is to guarantee accountability and openness in law enforcement.
 

Respect for Procedures

The Orissa High Court's decision further emphasized the importance of closely following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) created by the Odisha government on how to interact with and behave appropriately toward army troops at police stations. The SOP must be widely disseminated across Odia at every station and outpost, and all officers must be informed of these processes.

Responsibility and Adherence

The Court's conclusion appropriately took into account an affidavit from Dayal Gangwar, the Additional Director General of Police. Based on the information in the affidavit, strict adherence is expected from the government and police headquarters. With these mandates in place, the High Court has ended the public interest litigation action.