The Supreme Court of India on Thursday directed the Centre and other stakeholders to participate in a meeting aimed at creating a centralised dashboard and standardising CCTV infrastructure across police stations nationwide.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order after submissions by senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae. Dave informed the court that although a meeting had been scheduled pursuant to the January 29 order and held on February 21, representatives from the Union government, the Delhi government and certain other states did not attend, preventing him from filing the required report.

Taking note of the submission, the bench recorded the assurance of counsel for the Union of India, who apologised for the absence citing a communication gap and promised full cooperation in the next meeting. Accepting the suggestion of the amicus, the court directed that the next meeting be held on March 14, 2026. The matter has been listed for further hearing on March 23.

The issue stems from the court’s earlier directions on the installation and functioning of CCTV cameras in police stations to prevent human rights violations. In 2018, the apex court mandated installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations. In December 2020, it further directed the Centre to ensure installation of CCTV cameras and recording systems in the offices of central investigating agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate, and the National Investigation Agency.

The court had also ordered states and Union Territories to ensure coverage at all critical points within police stations, including entry and exit gates, lock-ups, corridors, reception areas and spaces outside lock-up rooms, so that no area remained unmonitored. It mandated that CCTV systems must have night vision capability and audio-video recording, with storage capacity for at least one year.

The Supreme Court on Thursday imposed a blanket ban on class 8 NCERT book carrying a chapter on corruption in the judiciary, and ordered a seizure of all physical copies, along with takedown of its digital forms.

The apex court ordered that the Centre and state authorities comply with its directions immediately, and warned of “serious action” if directions are defied in any form.

The top court issued show cause notices to NCERT director, school education secretary to explain why action should be not taken against those responsible.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant said there seemed to be a calculated move to undermine institution and demean dignity of judiciary.

The bench said such misconduct, having everlasting impact on judiciary, would fall within definition of criminal contempt.

The court said that if allowed to go unchecked, this will erode people’s faith in judiciary. “No one will be allowed to go scot-free.” The CJI said, “It is my duty as the head of the institution to find out who is responsible; heads must roll.” CJI Surya Kant said there appears to be a deep-rooted, well planned conspiracy to defame the judiciary.

Taking exception to the NCERT’s Wednesday communication, the SC said there was not a single word of apology in it, and instead, they have tried to justified it.

At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology on behalf of Ministry of education.

The bench posted the mater for further hearing on march 11. (Agencies)

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved a proposal to enhance the equity investment limit of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (Powergrid) from ₹5,000 crore to ₹7,500 crore per subsidiary. The decision was taken at the committee’s first meeting held at the Prime Minister’s new office, Seva Teerth.

Announcing the decision, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the approval grants enhanced delegation of powers to Powergrid under the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) guidelines dated February 4, 2010, applicable to ‘Maharatna’ Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

“The CCEA has approved enhanced delegation to Powergrid. The permissible equity investment limit has been increased from the existing threshold of ₹5,000 crore per subsidiary to ₹7,500 crore per subsidiary, while retaining the existing cap of 15 per cent of the company’s net worth,” Vaishnaw said.

The move is expected to strengthen Powergrid’s ability to bid for capital-intensive transmission projects, including Ultra High Voltage Alternating Current (UHVAC) and High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission networks. As the country’s largest transmission service provider, the CPSE will now be better positioned to expand investments in its core business and facilitate evacuation of renewable energy.

The enhanced investment limit is aligned with the government’s target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity. By enabling greater participation in large-scale projects, the decision aims to accelerate the development of transmission infrastructure critical for integrating renewable energy into the national grid.

The approval will also broaden competition in Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) for selection of developers for key transmission projects. Increased competition is expected to ensure better price discovery, ultimately leading to affordable and clean energy for consumers, according to an official release.

Powergrid, a ‘Maharatna’ CPSE, plays a central role in India’s power transmission network and is instrumental in strengthening grid reliability and supporting the country’s energy transition goals.