📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Avrajyoti Mitra
Crime
Delhi High Court Rejects Proposal to Mandate Body‑Cams for Police and RAF
✍️ Amar Ujala · Delhi
🗓 07 Oct 2026, 06:31 PM
👁 51
The Delhi High Court declined to order compulsory use of body‑worn cameras for the Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force, citing the need for legislative action.
The Delhi High Court has refused to issue an order that would make body‑worn cameras mandatory for the Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF). The bench held that such a directive requires a clear legislative framework, which is currently absent.
Existing guidelines allow discretionary use of body cameras, but they do not compel every officer to wear them. The court noted that any mandatory regime must be backed by a law or a formal policy amendment.
Proponents of the technology argue that body cameras enhance transparency and accountability in law‑enforcement operations. Authorities, however, have raised concerns about privacy, data storage, and the logistical challenges of managing large volumes of footage.
Until a statutory provision is introduced, the status quo remains: police and RAF personnel may continue to use body cameras on a case‑by‑case basis, but they are not required to do so across the board.
Existing guidelines allow discretionary use of body cameras, but they do not compel every officer to wear them. The court noted that any mandatory regime must be backed by a law or a formal policy amendment.
Proponents of the technology argue that body cameras enhance transparency and accountability in law‑enforcement operations. Authorities, however, have raised concerns about privacy, data storage, and the logistical challenges of managing large volumes of footage.
Until a statutory provision is introduced, the status quo remains: police and RAF personnel may continue to use body cameras on a case‑by‑case basis, but they are not required to do so across the board.