HC seeks Delhi govt reply on plea challenging CCTVs inside classes

A bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice Jyoti Singh issued a notice to the Delhi government and listed the matter for further hearing to March 30.

The Delhi high court on Tuesday sought the response of the state government on a plea by the Delhi Parents Association, challenging the installation of 150,000 CCTV cameras in classrooms of government and private schools and the dissemination of the live footage to unauthorised persons.

The plea said the installation of such cameras, without the consent of either the student or her parent, is a gross and direct violation of the fundamental rights. (HT Photo)

A bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice Jyoti Singh issued a notice to the Delhi government and listed the matter for further hearing to March 30.

In the plea, filed through advocate Jai Dehadrai in 2020, the association sought to quash a Delhi cabinet decisions of September 11, 2017, and December 11, 2017, for the installation of CCTV cameras in classrooms and the consequent live streaming of footage to a third person.

The petition also sought to set aside two notifications of the directorate of education (DoE) authorising the installation of CCTV cameras in schools that are directly administered by the Delhi government.

Expressing concerns about the privacy of students and preservation of their dignity, as guaranteed by the Constitution, the association contended that the installation of CCTV cameras would infringe upon a student’s right to privacy. The plea said the installation of such cameras, without the consent of either the student or her parent, is a gross and direct violation of the fundamental rights.

“In the complete absence of data regime or any other statutory/regulatory framework to protect citizen’s data, the twin acts of obtaining and then storing children’s data on private computer servers are fraught with danger and are thus a violation of the fundamental right to privacy,” the plea argued.

It said the government decisions transgress not only their fundamental rights but also those of the students they teach. Parents are deeply concerned about the safety and privacy of their wards, the petition said.