The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a petition filed by CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP A.A. Rahim challenging the use of facial recognition technology and allied biometric-surveillance measures by the Delhi Police during NEET student protest at Jantar Mantar.
The plea raises concerns over the collection, processing and storage of facial and other biometric data of persons participating in protests. The petition specifically challenges the alleged use of such technology by the Delhi Police during protests relating to the NEET paper-leak issue.
Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for Rahim, told a Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana that the petition raises a specific challenge to the police deployment of facial-recognition technology against protesters.
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“It is a very specific prayer concerning facial recognition being used by the Delhi Police against protesters, and the data is held with private companies. One maps your face and one is a vehicle. So spectacles are used and a vehicle is also used. And that data is all taken without permission. These private entities host the data.”
She submitted that the petitioners would argue that the collection and retention of such data was in violation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules and the Code of Criminal Procedure, among other legal safeguards. The court allowed tagging this petition with a pending plea concerning the related issue.