Delhi Police sought bids for 338 CCTV cameras equipped with facial recognition capabilities across its Central and New Delhi districts. The tender comes amidst ongoing protests, with Ramlila Maidan newly designated as a primary protest site. Critics point to the absence of a specific legal framework governing police use of facial recognition technology.
How We Got Here
The Internet Freedom Foundation first reported these tender documents after Delhi Police invited bids in July 2026. Jantar Mantar's de-notification as a protest site effectively made Ramlila Maidan a primary alternative.
The Numbers
- The tender, valued at Rs 15.66 crore, closed its bidding process on August 20.
- Specifications require facial recognition on fixed, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ), and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.
- Cameras are intended for "VIP/VVIP route & other locations" covering Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations.
- The documents identify specific locations like Ramlila Maidan gate, India Gate hexagon, and Patiala House.
- Mobile applications must offer live video access from up to 500 cameras on both iOS and Android platforms.
What Happens Next
🇮🇳 Why This Matters for India
For privacy advocates and citizens in Delhi, this expands state surveillance without parliamentary oversight, raising significant data protection concerns.
The Take
The core issue lies not in the technology, but in the glaring absence of a legal guardrail. This will likely embolden more police forces to deploy surveillance, making a federal data protection law even more urgent and contentious.
Source:
MediaNama ↗