Supreme Court to hear Delhi Police Jantar Mantar surveillance plea
The Supreme Court is set to review a petition challenging Delhi Police's use of facial recognition and biometric surveillance at recent Jantar Mantar protests.
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP AA Rahim says these tactics violated basic rights like privacy and free speech and questions whether protesters' data was collected without their consent or shared with private companies.
Petition seeks protesters' biometric data deletion
According to the petition, police used tools like CCTV cameras, drones, the "Ikshana" surveillance vehicle, and smart glasses, apparently without proper legal approval.
Rahim wants the Delhi Police restrained from deploying facial recognition and biometric surveillance technologies until Parliament enacts a law authorizing their use, protesters' biometric data deleted, and transparency about deals with tech vendors.
There's also worry that this data could be kept forever or used to boost AI systems, raising fresh questions about policing peaceful protests.