 on July 20 alleging continuous and intrusive surveillance){kind=link}
The Delhi High Court will hear a PIL on July 20 alleging continuous police surveillance of protesters at Jantar Mantar
July 17, 2026: The Delhi High Court on Friday agreed to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) on July 20 alleging continuous and intrusive surveillance of protesters participating in the ongoing NEET-UG agitation at Jantar Mantar. The plea, filed by former JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh, was mentioned before a bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, which advanced the hearing from its usual schedule.
The petitioner argued that police personnel were continuously recording protesters through mobile phones and cameras, creating an atmosphere of intimidation and violating their fundamental right to privacy. Filed through advocate Subhash Chandran KR, the PIL seeks a declaration that indiscriminate photography, videography, and surveillance of peaceful demonstrators is unconstitutional unless justified by a real and imminent threat to public order.
The petition also seeks directions to immediately halt mass surveillance at the protest site until such exceptional circumstances arise. According to the plea, permanent surveillance infrastructure and continuous monitoring have extended beyond public demonstrations to include protesters’ everyday activities such as eating, resting, and seeking medical assistance. The protest, led by the Cockroach Janta Party, has continued for over 26 days demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, while activist Sonam Wangchuk has remained on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28.