Facial recognition units deployed at CJP protest site
Delhi Police has deployed four Facial Recognition System (FRS) units around the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest site at Jantar Mantar as part of heightened security arrangements. Officials maintain that the technology is being used only to identify wanted criminals, absconders and history-sheeters, not ordinary protesters.
Police sources said on Friday that the FRS units have been installed at key entry and exit points around the protest venue and are directly linked to the Delhi Police database. Police personnel monitor the system in real time, enabling them to verify the identities of individuals whose details are already in police records.
“The objective is to ensure that people with criminal backgrounds do not exploit the protest to create law and order issues. The system is connected with the Delhi Police database and can identify wanted criminals, absconders, history-sheeters and Bad Characters (BCs),” a police source said.
Officials said the high-resolution cameras capture facial images in real time, including from a distance, and immediately match them against the police database. If a wanted or absconding accused is detected, the concerned police unit is alerted for further legal action.
According to police, the deployment is intended as both a preventive and investigative measure to prevent anti-social elements from infiltrating large gatherings and creating disturbances.
Sources also clarified that the system does not access Aadhaar records or retrieve personal details from identity databases. They said the cameras scan faces in real time and compare them only with records already maintained by the Delhi Police. Officials added that similar facial recognition units have been deployed during previous large public gatherings and are not unique to the ongoing CJP protest.
The deployment comes amid heightened security at Jantar Mantar following recent clashes between protesters and police, which led to multiple FIRs and the installation of additional surveillance measures around the protest site. The use of facial recognition technology has, however, drawn criticism from protesters, civil liberties advocates and freelance journalists, who have raised concerns over privacy and mass surveillance. Several protesters argued that those participating in demonstrations should not be treated as “data bodies” and questioned the legality of live facial scanning at a public protest.
The issue has also reached the Delhi High Court through a public interest litigation alleging unlawful surveillance of protesters. During the proceedings, Delhi Police denied carrying out any illegal snooping and submitted that any recording or monitoring was undertaken solely to maintain law and order and ensure public safety.
The CJP also criticised the deployment, alleging that police were “live-scanning peaceful protesters” and harvesting biometric data. In a statement, the organisation questioned the legal basis for the use of facial recognition technology, sought clarity on the source of the data the system matches, and demanded answers on how any collected facial data would be stored, used, and safeguarded.
Police, however, reiterated that the system is not designed to monitor ordinary protesters and is intended only to identify individuals with criminal antecedents who may attempt to exploit large public gatherings.
