The state Government has sanctioned Rs. 39.78 crore for installation of CCTV cameras, door frame and hand-held metal detectors in all the courts in the State. A submission was made by the Government Pleader, MK Subramanian, when a PIL from advocate S Kasiramalingam came up before the first Bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice M Sundar. The PIL prayed for a directive to the State to install CCTV cameras in all the courts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, as had been done in the first court hall of the Chief Justice.The Bench noted that the GO sanctioning Rs. 39.78 crore had been issued on November 29. Now the tender would have to be floated quickly so that the installation happens soon, the Bench added and disposed of the PIL. The Bench, however, listed the case for February 1 for compliance.
Following the directives on the PIL on February 9, 2015 and based on the proposals of the Registrar-General, the State in April 2015 had allotted Rs. 1.67 lakh for installing CCTV cameras in the court hall of the Chief Justice and at his chambers and residence, at the chambers of the former judge ChitraVenkataraman and the Registrar-General.
By a GO issued in April 2016, it sanctioned another Rs. 7.68 crore for installation in the entire Madras High Court and at the magistrates courts in Egmore, Saidapet and GT area. Now the government by the GO dated November 21 has sanctioned Rs. 39.78 crore for installation of the gadgets at the rest of the places in the entire State.
