New Delhi, 16 July (H.S.): Former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) President Aishe Ghosh has approached the Delhi High Court challenging the continuous police camera surveillance of protesters participating in an ongoing demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janata Party at Jantar Mantar. The petition has been filed through advocates Subhash Chandran and Anirudh K.P.

The petition alleges that Delhi Police have been continuously monitoring protesters at Jantar Mantar through permanently installed surveillance cameras. It claims that the surveillance extends even to women and girls while they are sleeping at night. The plea contends that Delhi Police have no legal authority to subject protesters to continuous camera surveillance.

According to the petition, Aishe Ghosh has been participating in the protest continuously since June 20. It further alleges that the cameras record protesters even while they are eating and resting. The petition also claims that some Delhi Police personnel have threatened student protesters by saying that their photographs and videos would be sent to their parents and to the educational institutions where they are enrolled. As a result, it alleges, several people have become reluctant to participate in the protest.

The petition further states that Delhi Police recorded videos of women protesters even when they were drenched during heavy rainfall and had no shelter available at Jantar Mantar. It argues that such surveillance constitutes a serious violation of bodily privacy and personal dignity.

The plea also states that despite repeated queries, Delhi Police failed to explain under what legal authority or statutory provision they were conducting continuous surveillance of protesters.

Referring to the Supreme Court's landmark judgment in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy on the right to privacy, the petition contends that the actions of Delhi Police violate Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar