Kolkata, 19 August (H.S.): The Calcutta High Court has sought the West Bengal government’s response on the proposal to install CCTV cameras across the Jadavpur University campus to strengthen student security. The court directed the state to clarify within 15 days whether it will approve the university’s request for ₹68 lakh to fund the project.

The directive came on Tuesday from a division bench comprising Justice Sujoy Pal and Justice Smita Das De. The bench also instructed the university to submit a detailed report outlining the security measures being undertaken, including the specific locations where cameras would be installed. The judges further suggested that expert opinions should be incorporated into the process.

During the hearing, both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) filed pleas to be made parties to the case. However, the court did not specify whether these central agencies would be formally included in future proceedings.

The petitioners had earlier demanded the installation of CCTV cameras and the deployment of armed Kolkata Police personnel on campus. The central agencies’ intervention bid has now sparked speculation in legal circles.

Notably, Jadavpur University has been functioning without a permanent vice-chancellor since April this year. In June, the High Court had allowed the university’s executive council to hold meetings on security-related issues. Following this, the administration recently resolved to enhance security measures and fixed a budget of ₹68 lakh for the project.

The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for September 25.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh