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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging continuous police surveillance of protesters participating in the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) agitation at Jantar Mantar.

A Division Bench led by Chief Justice Devender Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia listed the matter for hearing on Monday after an urgent mention by Senior Advocate Nandita Rao.

Petition Raises Privacy Concerns

The PIL has been filed by former JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh through advocates Subhash Chandran KR and Anirudh KP It alleges that Delhi Police has been continuously photographing, videographing and monitoring peaceful protesters since the demonstration began on June 20.

The plea also claims that a permanent surveillance tower has been installed at the protest site without any publicly disclosed legal authority or procedural safeguards.

Allegations of Intimidation

According to the petition, some student protesters were allegedly told that photographs and videos taken during the protest would be shared with their parents, guardians and educational institutions. The plea argues that such actions were intended to discourage participation and have created a chilling effect on the constitutional rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.

The petition also alleges that women protesters continued to be photographed and recorded even during heavy rainfall, when they had limited shelter, raising concerns over privacy and dignity.

Reliefs sought

The PIL seeks a declaration that continuous mass surveillance of peaceful protesters is unconstitutional. It has also requested suspension of large-scale photography and videography at the protest site unless justified by law, disclosure of the legal basis for surveillance, deletion of any unlawfully collected personal data, and formulation of guidelines governing surveillance during peaceful public demonstrations.