Chandigarh, October 15:- The Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued an important statutory advisory prioritising the privacy, dignity and safety of children residing in Child Care Institutions (CCIs) across the state. The measure has been taken by Commission Chairperson Kumari Tripti Sheoran under Section 13(1)(a) of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005. During visits to institutions, the Commission found that CCTV systems in several facilities had been connected to personal mobile phones and laptops, allowing live footage to be viewed, downloaded or circulated from anywhere, posing a serious threat to children's safety.
According to the issued guidelines, control over the CCTV system, its footage and passwords will rest exclusively with the institution's in-charge, and the use of shared passwords has been completely prohibited. Connecting cameras to any personal mobile phone or laptop is strictly forbidden, and remote access must remain disabled by default. In addition, photographing CCTV monitors, recording their screens, or downloading, copying or transmitting footage through WhatsApp, social media or other channels has been prohibited.
The Commission stated that, to protect children's privacy, installing cameras inside toilets, bathrooms and changing areas is strictly prohibited under the Juvenile Justice Model Rules, 2016. To maintain transparency and security, institutions must maintain a register of authorised users and footage retrieval, recording the date, purpose and recipient of each instance.
The Commission has directed the Department of Women and Child Development, all Deputy Commissioners and District Child Protection Officers to submit compliance reports on the advisory within 15 days. Strict administrative action will be taken against institutions that violate the rules. The Commission maintains that the purpose of CCTV surveillance should be limited to institutional and child protection, not the violation of children's privacy. The advisory is being implemented strictly to safeguard children's best interests and dignity.
