Delhi Police denies surveillance at Jantar Mantar, records for law and order

The Delhi Police told the Delhi High Court on Monday that it is not carrying out surveillance of protesters at Jantar Mantar, emphasizing that any recording at the site is solely for maintaining law and order. The statement came during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Aishe Ghosh, former JNU Student Union president and CPI(M) leader.

Appearing for the police, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that protests at Jantar Mantar are always recorded for law and order purposes. He countered allegations of snooping, stating that hundreds of people at protests make and viral their own videos. Mehta also described the PIL as "luxury litigation."

The Bench, consisting of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, questioned the Centre regarding any existing standard operating procedures or guidelines for handling protests and hunger strikes, referencing a 2018 Supreme Court judgment. The court sought a response on the existence of such guidelines and scheduled further hearing for Tuesday.

The PIL concerns a protest by the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) which began on June 20, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over repeated examination paper leaks. Ghosh alleged continuous police monitoring, including photography and filming, through a permanent surveillance tower, without disclosed legal authority. The petition claims police photographed routine activities and allegedly threatened protesters, while also documenting women in wet clothes during heavy rain, which the petition calls an intrusion on privacy.