Delhi High Court Refuses to Mandate Police Body Cameras

The Delhi High Court declined to mandate the use of body-worn cameras for Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force personnel during crowd-control operations. In a ruling led by Acting Chief Justice Nitin Sambhre, the court determined that the issue does not constitute a grey area requiring judicial intervention and should instead be addressed by the executive or legislature.

While the court refused to issue a direct mandate, it accepted a proposal to treat a public interest litigation filed by advocate Chahat Raghav as a formal representation. The court directed the Government of India to consider the request and communicate a decision on framing a Standard Operating Procedure for the storage and evidentiary use of footage within six months.

The litigation followed July 2026 protests at Jantar Mantar involving climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and the Cockroach Janta Party, where documentation of police force relied on bystander mobile-phone footage. The push for accountability coincided with recent reports of misconduct, including allegations from three women journalists who reported sexual harassment and manhandling by police during an October 2 protest against the Election Commission of India.

In response to these tensions, Delhi Police has already begun issuing body-worn cameras to frontline officers deployed at protest sites and the Election Commission office. Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma noted that existing guidelines for organizing protests already include videography provisions.