SC asks Delhi govt why its decision to install CCTV in class room should not be stayed
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine a plea filed by a 20-year-old law student challenging the Delhi government's decision to install CCTV cameras in classrooms and live stream the feed to parents on the grounds that it violates right to privacy.
The top court asked the Delhi government to reply as to why its 2017 decision should not be stayed.
A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Sanjiv Khanna issued notice to Delhi government and sought its response.
"Issue notice on the writ petition, as also on the prayer for interim relief, returnable within six weeks," the bench said.
Advocate Jai Dehadrai, appearing for the petitioner, said that live-streaming of CCTV feeds will be done to random people which will be a breach of privacy.
Dehadrai assisted by advocate Srishti Kumar said that there were adolescent children in schools and it will be breach of their privacy if the CCTV feed was live streamed.
The plea filed by Amber Tickoo, a third year law student at National Law University, sought setting aside of the Delhi government's decision of September 11, 2017 for installing CCTV cameras in class room and life streaming the CCTV feeds to the parents of children.
It contended that these decisions of government were in direct contravention to the verdict of the apex court which has unequivocally upheld that Right to Privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
"The said installation of CCTV cameras and providing live feed of the same to anyone with a user id and password jeopardizes the safety and security of young girls as also the female teachers and shall directly give rise to the incidents of stalking and voyeurism," it said.
The plea said that no steps were taken for protection of the data that is required to be stored in the CCTV recordings.
"This data is prone to being hacked and poses a serious threat to the privacy and security of the children as well as the teachers. Furthermore, there are financial irregularities in the process of procurement of the said CCTV cameras...," it alleged.
