Preserve CCTV footage; HC to police: CJ says don't have time to watch videos
Punjab and Haryana High Court asks police to preserve CCTV footage for cases linked to protests and related incidents
- The court directed police to preserve CCTV footage connected with protests and related incidents.
- The chief justice said judges do not have time to keep watching video clips and that the material should be preserved for use in proceedings.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked police to preserve CCTV footage connected with protests and related incidents. The direction is important because video recordings can become crucial evidence in court, especially when public-order incidents or allegations of wrongdoing need to be reconstructed from objective material.
What happened
The chief justice reportedly said judges do not have time to keep watching video clips and that the material should be properly preserved for use in proceedings. The practical point is clear: police must maintain the footage in a usable form instead of allowing it to be lost, overwritten, or informally circulated.
UPSC can frame the issue around the evidentiary value of CCTV footage, the duty of police to preserve material evidence, and the practical challenges of using technology in criminal investigation and court proceedings.
