Modi Faces Challenge From Activists over Surveillance at India Youth Protest
Aishe Ghosh seeks to block mass surveillance at a youth protest, while activists demand deletion of biometric data and new rules for police facial recognition.
- Student activist Aishe Ghosh is challenging the Delhi Police's use of facial recognition technology at a recent protest, asking the Delhi High Court to declare mass surveillance unconstitutional and order the destruction of collected biometric data.
- Last week's student protest over exam leaks featured a police van branded "Ikshana," Hindi for "vision," equipped with "Advanced AI-powered" cameras and "Varifocal Bullet Cameras" providing a 360-degree view of the gathering.
- During a Friday hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta defended the conduct as "absolutely necessary" and "in legitimate state interest," while Akash Karmakar argued that "accountability must flow both ways" regarding national security claims.
- Following a brief hearing on Monday, the Delhi High Court will continue reviewing the case on Tuesday; separately, the New Delhi-based Internet Freedom Foundation demanded the deletion of biometric data collected at the protest site.
- Even after the protest ended following the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the case persists as a test of federal surveillance powers in India with potential implications for protest monitoring nationwide.
21 Articles
21 Articles
PIL in SC Challenges Delhi Police's Use of Facial Recognition, AI Surveillance at Jantar Mantar Protest
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The petition has been filed under Article 32 of the Constitution by Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament A A Rahim through Advocate Subhash Chandran K.R. India News | PIL in SC Challenges Delhi Police's Use of Facial Recognition, AI Surveillance at Jantar Mantar Protest.
AI on the streets: India’s protest surveillance sparks backlash
Activists are challenging the legality of Delhi’s use of facial recognition technology to monitor demonstrators The violence in New Delhi last week amid mass student protests has ignited a debate in the country about the surveillance technology which law enforcement agencies use to tackle unrest – and how it holds up to scrutiny under Indian...
The presence of the AI-based facial recognition van, Ikshana, during the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar has raised questions about privacy and data security. India currently lacks a dedicated law governing the use of facial recognition technology. Experts say the government can conduct surveillance, but it must adhere to constitutional and legal limitations.
Indian Activists Battle Government Over AI Surveillance in Protests
Indian activists are challenging the government's use of AI surveillance at protests, with one case testing federal powers despite the protest ending. Activist Aishe Ghosh seeks to declare such surveillance unconstitutional and have collected data destroyed, highlighting the absence of legal frameworks for facial recognition technology in India.
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