NEET Protests: Rajya Sabha MP Moves SC Over Delhi Police's Facial Recognition - Video

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi Police's use of facial recognition technology and biometric surveillance during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-linked protests over the NEET UG 2026 paper leak. Filed by Rajya Sabha MP A.A. Rahim, the petition seeks a declaration that the deployment of facial recognition and related surveillance measures against peaceful protesters is unconstitutional. It also urges the Court to direct authorities to immediately stop using such technology without a valid legal framework, reports The Hindu.

The petition alleges that since the protests began on July 20, thousands of protesters, journalists and bystanders have been subjected to continuous biometric surveillance through CCTV cameras, drones, mobile command vehicles and handheld devices. It claims the Delhi Police used facial recognition systems, including the “Ikshana” vehicle, “AjnaLens” smart glasses, and the “Abhigyan” mobile application linked to the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System. According to the plea, these measures were carried out without statutory backing, violated the right to privacy under Article 21, and exceeded the limited purposes for which such technologies were originally intended.