Delhi HC to hear plea against surveillance of CJP protest
Delhi High Court to hear plea against surveillance of CJP protest
- The Delhi High Court will hear a public interest petition on July 20, 2026.
- The petition challenges alleged Delhi Police surveillance of a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar.
The Delhi High Court will hear on July 20, 2026 a public interest petition challenging alleged continuous and indiscriminate surveillance of a protest at Jantar Mantar by the Delhi Police. The petition brings the legal status of monitoring a peaceful demonstration into focus and raises questions about the limits of police surveillance during public protest.
The petition has been filed by Aishe Ghosh, former JNUSU president. The plea says she has been taking part in a peaceful sit-in and hunger strike since the agitation began. It alleges that police personnel stationed at the site are photographing and videographing protesters, their movements, interactions, and gatherings.
The unresolved issue is the legal boundary between legitimate policing for public order and surveillance that may infringe protest rights. The matter is directly relevant to constitutional protections for peaceful assembly and free expression, especially when dissent takes the form of a sit-in or hunger strike at a designated protest site.
UPSC may frame the issue around the constitutional protection of peaceful assembly under Article 19, the limits of police surveillance in a democracy, and judicial review of executive action affecting civil liberties.
