Karnal, October 17:- Tripti Sheoran, Chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, has issued a statutory advisory on CCTV surveillance systems to ensure the privacy, dignity and safety of children in all child care institutions across the state. The Commission has sought compliance reports within 15 days from the Women and Child Development Department, all Deputy Commissioners and District Child Protection Officers.
During inspections, the Commission found that CCTV systems in some institutions were connected to personal mobile phones and laptops. This creates a risk of live footage being viewed, recordings being downloaded and footage being circulated on social media. The Commission described this as a serious concern for children's privacy and safety. The advisory has been issued under the CPCR Act. According to the advisory, control over CCTV systems, footage and passwords must remain with the institution's in-charge. Access will be granted only to authorised staff, and shared passwords will not be permitted. Connecting CCTV systems to personal mobile phones or laptops is prohibited, and remote access must remain disabled by default. Photographing CCTV monitors, recording their screens, downloading or copying footage, and sharing it through WhatsApp, social media or email are prohibited. Instructions have also been issued to keep DVRs/NVRs in secure locations, change passwords regularly and check access logs. Footage related to any incident must be preserved until the completion of the legal process. The Commission has clarified that installing CCTV cameras inside toilets, bathrooms and changing rooms is strictly prohibited.
Every institution must maintain a record of authorised users and a register for footage retrieval. The register must include the date, purpose and details of the person obtaining the footage. Any unauthorised access or security lapse must be reported immediately to the competent authority. The Women and Child Development Department has been directed to issue written instructions to all concerned district officials and child care institutions to implement the advisory. During inspections, officials will check CCTV-related equipment, the individuals with access to live and recorded footage, password security, remote access and the secure storage of recordings. Particular attention will also be paid to compliance with special security measures in institutions housing girls.
Commission Chairperson Tripti Sheoran said that merely installing CCTV cameras was not enough; effective control over the use, storage and sharing of footage was equally essential. The purpose of surveillance must be to protect children, not to expose their privacy or activities to unauthorised persons. Appropriate administrative action will be taken against institutions found violating these directions.
