All Delhi police stations notified as video conferencing centres for court depositions

In a significant step aimed at saving time and improving efficiency in police functioning, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the notification of all 226 police stations in the Capital as “designated places” for police officers to provide evidence via video conferencing.

The move will allow police personnel handling various cases to avoid physically travelling to courts for depositions, thereby conserving substantial time and resources. On average, nearly 2,000 police officers in Delhi testify before courts each day.

The reform comes under the draft model rules Nyaya Shruti on video conferencing under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which recommended including police stations as designated places for depositions by police personnel.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been overseeing the rollout of the three new criminal laws, has been emphasising the importance of enabling police personnel to testify from police stations via video link.

In a recent review meeting, Shah directed the installation of adequate video conferencing facilities to ensure better coordination between the police and the judiciary. However, he made it clear that these facilities are strictly for police personnel and that case witnesses must not be examined from police station premises.

Following this directive, Delhi Police requested the notification of all its stations, after which the Home Department of the GNCTD forwarded the proposal to the L-G.

The notified facilities include 179 territorial police stations, 16 metro police stations, 15 cyber police stations, eight railway police stations, two each under the Crime Branch and IGI Airport, and one each under the Economic Offences Wing, Special Cell, Crime Against Women Cell, and Vigilance.

This would, apart from cutting short police personnel’s time consumed in court appearances, bring in greater transparency and efficiency in overall police functioning.

On one hand, this would decongest the courts and on the other hand, would also enable the police personnel, officers to devote more time on policing and investigation of other cases.

Earlier, the video conferencing facility for providing evidence was only available in Delhi High Court, District Courts, Delhi Prisons, Hospitals and the Forensic Science Laboratory and some government offices.

The notified facilities include 179 territorial police stations, 16 metro police stations, 15 cyber police stations, eight railway police stations, two each under the Crime Branch and IGI Airport, and one each under the Economic Offences Wing, Special Cell, Crime Against Women Cell, and Vigilance.