CPI(M) MP Seeks Supreme Court Intervention Over Facial Recognition Use
AA Rahim, a prominent leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a Rajya Sabha MP, has approached the Supreme Court of India with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). This legal action disputes the employment of facial recognition technology (FRT) and other biometric surveillance tools by the Delhi Police during the protests held at Jantar Mantar in July 2026.
The MP’s petition argues that the deployment of these advanced surveillance measures, including AI-powered smart glasses and fingerprint identification applications, occurred without statutory authorization. These practices allegedly infringe upon constitutional rights, specifically the rights to privacy, free speech, and peaceful assembly as enshrined in Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Indian Constitution.
Backdrop of the Protests
The protests at Jantar Mantar were driven by the youth, organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) collective, demanding the resignation of the then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over persistent exam paper leaks. Minister Pradhan resigned on July 25, 2026, leading to the cessation of the protests.
Throughout the demonstrations, the Delhi Police reportedly subjected participants, journalists, and bystanders to continuous surveillance via multiple technologies, including CCTV cameras, drones, a Mobile Command and Control Vehicle, and the NCRB’s “Abhigyan” mobile fingerprint identification technology.
Legal Concerns and Demand for Transparency
The petition asserts that this surveillance was conducted without legal sanction or transparency, representing a broader trend of biometric monitoring of peaceful assemblies by police forces. It also claims the collected biometric data was cross-referenced with undisclosed databases without consent or notification to those surveilled.
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Moreover, the petition highlights the absence of disclosure regarding the purpose, data retention period, or protective measures for the collected data. It contends that existing standing orders of the Delhi Police do not authorize such indiscriminate use of biometric and facial recognition technologies.
Petition’s Demands and Legal Proceedings
The petition requests the Supreme Court to declare such surveillance unconstitutional and to halt the use of facial recognition technology in peaceful protests until proper legislation is enacted. It further seeks a directive for authorities to reveal the technologies and databases utilized, erase biometric data of non-criminal protesters, and establish a process for individuals to verify and request the deletion of their data.
The plea also asks the Court to restrict the private technology firms involved, Aditya Infotech Ltd. (CP PLUS) and Dimension NXG Pvt. Ltd. (AjnaLens), from using or retaining any biometric data collected during the protests.
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This legal challenge coincides with a similar issue pending before the Delhi High Court, which has sought a government response regarding regulations on such surveillance practices. The Centre has defended its actions, citing routine videography for maintaining law and order at Jantar Mantar.
Representing Rahim in this Supreme Court filing are advocates Subhash Chandran KR, Ribhav Pande, Madhav Aggarwal, Anuka Bachawat, and Anirudh KP.
