The Delhi Police told the Delhi High Court on Monday that videography at the ongoing Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar is conducted solely to maintain law and order, not for surveillance. The statement was made during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh, who challenged what she called intrusive police monitoring of the protest, according to medianama.com.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the police, said that protests at Jantar Mantar are routinely recorded and that many participants themselves make videos and reels that go viral. He emphasized that the recordings are not intended for snooping or surveillance but for law enforcement purposes. The court bench, led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, questioned the Centre on whether any standard operating procedures or guidelines exist for managing protests and hunger strikes, referencing the Supreme Court's 2018 Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan judgment.
The PIL concerns the CJP's ongoing protest and raises questions about the balance between maintaining public order and respecting protesters' rights. The Supreme Court's 2018 judgment mandates clear guidelines for handling protests, making the court's inquiry into existing protocols significant. The police's assertion that videography is for law and order aligns with common practices during public demonstrations, but the case highlights ongoing tensions over surveillance and civil liberties in India.
The Delhi High Court has scheduled further hearings on the matter for Tuesday, seeking a formal response from the Centre regarding the existence of any SOPs or guidelines for protest management, as per medianama.com.