Non-Working CCTV, Gen-Sets at Police Stations 'Dereliction of Duty': Allahabad HC [Read Order]

Allahabad: The High Court of Judicature at Allahabad has observed that non-functional CCTV cameras and backup power facilities, such as generator sets and solar panels, at police stations amount to a 'dereliction in discharge of duties' by the Superintendent of Police concerned, while hearing a writ petition alleging illegal detention by a Station House Officer.

The matter arose out of a writ petition filed by Nagendra Kumar Yaqdav against the State of U.P. and three others, alleging that he was illegally detained in police custody/lockup by Pradeep Kumar Pandey, Station House Officer, Police Station Bhaluani, District Deoria, when he had gone to lodge a complaint on 03.04.2026.

By its first order dated 23.06.2026, a Bench of Justice J.J. Munir and Justice Arun Kumar directed the S.H.O. to appear in person and show cause against the allegation. When the matter was taken up on 25.06.2026, the S.H.O. appeared, and the petitioner's counsel was granted three days to file a rejoinder affidavit, with the matter put up as fresh on 30.06.2026.

When the case came up before a Bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Indrajeet Shukla on 07.07.2026, the S.H.O., appearing in person, took the defence that there was no electricity at the police station at the relevant time, and consequently no CCTV footage could be retrieved to verify the petitioner's alleged detention on 03.04.2026. On being queried, the S.H.O. further submitted that the police station's generator set was not in working order, leaving it wholly dependent on the power corporation's supply.

We find it to be quite amazing that sensitive places like police station are kept in dark without any electricity supply and the generators that is provided by the Government is also not in working order, let the Superintendent of Police Deoria file his personal affidavit in the matter as to why the gen-set provided to the police station Bhaluani is not in working order and why no action has been taken to repair it so that the electricity made to continue even in the absence of supply by the power corporation.

The Court directed the concerned electricity supply station to place on record, through its Executive Engineer, the exact position of power supply to the police station on the relevant day, and directed the Superintendent of Police, Deoria to file a personal affidavit explaining the non-functional generator set. It further directed that the CCTV hard drive be taken into custody immediately to prevent tampering.

When the matter was next heard on 28.07.2026 by a Bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Garima Prashad, an affidavit filed by the Executive Engineer disclosed that against a scheduled power supply of 18 hours on 05.04.2026, the police station had actually received only 13 hours and 4 minutes of supply, on account of rostered power cuts in the area. The S.H.O., on being queried about the CCTV footage, could not give a satisfactory reply, though the State's counsel submitted that the hard disk had been taken into custody and kept with a head constable.

The Court recorded its displeasure at the non-maintenance of the solar panel and generator set provided to the police station as backup facilities, noting that an affidavit filed by the Superintendent of Police, Deoria disclosed that the generator set had not been working since December 2024, and the solar panel too was defunct, without any formal communication ever being made by the police station for their repair or maintenance.

It was primary duty of the Superintendent of Police or Senior Superintendent of Police to ensure that these generator sets provided to the different police stations are in working order and CCTV cameras also given electricity supply through back up means like generator set as well as solar panel. If the CCTV cameras are not working in different police stations and electricity back up means like gen-sets and solar panels are not working then it is a dereliction in discharge of duties by Superintendent of Police.

The Court held that the Station House Officer was equally liable to be held responsible for failing to get the generator set repaired and the solar panel maintained. It took note of a letter dated 08.07.2026 written by the Superintendent of Police, Deoria to the Circle Officer, treating the S.H.O.'s conduct as a serious dereliction of duty and discipline, and directing a preliminary inquiry, and expressed its expectation that the Superintendent of Police would take decisive action in the matter.

Directing the Superintendent of Police, Deoria to personally appear before the Court to apprise it of the status of generator sets, solar panels and CCTV cameras at all police stations in the district, the Bench also directed that a copy of the order be sent to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, within two days, for issuing necessary instructions to all Superintendents of Police, Senior Superintendents of Police and Commissioners of Police across the State to ensure that police stations remain equipped with functioning backup facilities. The matter has been listed next on 11.08.2026.

Appearances

For Petitioner(s): Sri Sudhakar Singh, Advocate

For Respondent(s): C.S.C.; Ms. Rishu Mishra, Advocate, for Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited; Ms. Priyanka Midha, Additional Chief Standing Counsel, for State respondents

Case Title : Nagendra Kumar Yaqdav v. State of U.P. and 3 Others, Writ - C No. 23447 of 2026

[Read Order]