The Union government informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) that a proposal seeking in-principle approval for an umbrella scheme for the modernisation of police forces across the country had been sent to the Department of Expenditure under the Union Ministry of Finance.

Additional Solicitor General Rajkumar Bhaskar Thakare, appearing for the Centre, told a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that the proposal was forwarded on July 8, 2026 and was currently under consideration.

“The proposal has also been sent on July 8, 2026 to the Department of Expenditure in the Ministry of Finance for in-principle approval of an umbrella scheme for the police modernisation mission. It is under consideration,” Mr. Thakare submitted.

The submission was made in a suo motu proceeding initiated in 2025 after the court took note of a media report highlighting non-functional CCTV cameras at police stations in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The court had subsequently sought compliance reports from the Centre, States, and Union Territories while reviewing the implementation of its 2021 judgment in Paramvir Singh Saini vs Baljit Singh, which mandated the installation of CCTV cameras at key locations within police stations, including entry and exit points, lock-ups, corridors, reception areas, and the rooms of Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors.

Earlier, the Bench had urged the Union government to consider requests from States for the release of funds to install CCTV cameras and establish a centralised monitoring dashboard covering police stations.

On Wednesday, Justice Mehta asked whether the proposed umbrella scheme would be confined to infrastructure or would also extend to the augmentation of human resources.

Mr. Thakare informed the Bench that the scheme was intended to cover the modernisation of the police force as a whole and would include the installation of CCTV cameras.

Describing the development as “significant progress”, the Bench directed the Centre to place details of the proposal on record through an affidavit within two weeks, and posted the matter for further hearing on September 1.

The Bench was also informed that the Assistance to States and Union Territories for Modernisation of Police scheme, under which the Ministry of Home Affairs provides financial assistance for CCTV infrastructure at police stations across States and Union Territories, had been extended until March 31, 2027.

Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, assisting the court as amicus curiae, however, expressed concern that some States were seeking funds for additional police vehicles instead of prioritising modern equipment and scientific methods of investigation.

“The Union informed me that they are asking for [Maruti] Gypsies and all, not for modernisation of the police force. Modernisation means perfect armour, scientific techniques,” Mr. Dave submitted.

Justice Mehta agreed that police modernisation should focus on the procurement of advanced equipment and technology capable of strengthening scientific investigation and improving investigative capabilities.

The Bench accordingly asked the amicus curiae to examine the compliance affidavits filed by the State governments on the installation of CCTV cameras, and identify the States that had failed to comply with its directions by the next date of hearing.

In 2020, a three-judge Bench headed by Justice Rohinton F. Nariman (now retired), in Paramvir Singh Saini vs Baljit Singh, had directed the Centre to compulsorily install CCTV cameras and recording equipment in police stations as a deterrent against custodial torture.

The court had ordered similar surveillance in the offices of Central agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Directorate of Enforcement, the Narcotics Control Bureau, the Department of Revenue Intelligence, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office, and “any other agency which carries out interrogations and has the power of arrest”.