# SC to test Delhi Police facial recognition on Jantar Mantar protesters

2026-08-13T07:23:59+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 4 independent outlets

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a plea challenging the Delhi Police's use of facial recognition technology and biometric surveillance against protesters at Jantar Mantar. CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP A.A. Rahim, represented by senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, argued that the surveillance was carried out without legal authorisation and violated privacy, free speech, and assembly rights. The bench tagged the petition with other pending cases on the July 20 'Chalo Sansad' protest. Separately, the investigation into the July 20 clashes has revealed that some protesters may have used AI tools to learn countermeasures against police crowd control, including the use of wet jute bags to minimise tear gas effects, police sources told PTI. The sources have not disclosed which AI platforms were accessed or whether any devices have been forensically examined. The court has listed the matter for further hearing on August 18.

## Coverage

- thehansindia.com <https://www.thehansindia.com/news/cities/new-delhi/cjp-protesters-used-ai-tools-to-counter-police-measures-probe-1103298>
- hindustantimes.com <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-to-test-legality-of-delhi-police-use-of-facial-recognition-of-protesters-101786602650878.html>
- timesnownews.com <https://www.timesnownews.com/india/cjp-protest-facial-recognition-row-sc-agrees-to-hear-plea-challenging-police-surveillance-at-jantar-mantar-article-155605097>
- thehindu.com <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-agrees-to-take-up-mps-plea-against-use-of-face-recognition-tech-on-neet-ug-protesters/article71339912.ece>

Tags: AI surveillance, Cockroach Janta Party, Delhi Police, facial recognition, protest, Supreme Court
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