States » NorthPosted at: Oct 16 2026 12:11AM


Haryana child rights panel bans CCTV access through personal mobiles, laptops at Child Care Institutions

Panchkula, Oct 15 (UNI) In a major move to safeguard children from privacy breaches and potential misuse of surveillance footage, the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) has prohibited child care institutions across the state from linking their CCTV systems to personal mobile phones or laptops, ordering strict controls over access, storage and sharing of recordings.
The Commission has directed the Women and Child Development Department, all Deputy Commissioners, and District Child Protection Officers to submit compliance reports within 15 days, warning that institutions that violate the advisory could face administrative action under the applicable rules.
Commission Chairperson Tripti Sheoran said the statutory advisory was issued under Section 13(1)(a) of the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, following inspections that revealed potentially serious security vulnerabilities in surveillance arrangements at several child care institutions.
During inspections, the Commission found that CCTV systems at several institutions had been connected to personal mobile phones and laptops, allowing live footage to be viewed remotely and potentially downloaded or circulated without adequate safeguards.
Such arrangements, the Commission observed, could expose sensitive information about children, including their movements and whereabouts, to unauthorised individuals, undermining the very purpose of surveillance intended to protect them.
Under the advisory, CCTV systems, recordings and passwords must remain under the exclusive control of the institution's officer-in-charge.
Access will be restricted to specifically authorised personnel, while the use of shared passwords has been prohibited. Connecting surveillance systems to personal mobile phones or laptops is strictly forbidden, and remote access facilities must remain disabled by default.
The Commission has also barred individuals from photographing CCTV monitors, making screen recordings or downloading, copying and circulating surveillance footage through WhatsApp, social media platforms or email.
Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) and Network Video Recorders (NVRs) must be installed in secure locations. Institutions have been instructed to change passwords periodically, regularly review access logs and preserve footage relating to any incident until the necessary legal procedures have been completed.
Reinforcing the protection of children's dignity and bodily privacy, the Commission has reiterated that CCTV cameras must not be installed inside toilets, bathrooms or changing areas.
The advisory cites Rule 67(12) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2016, in support of this restriction.
Every child care institution must maintain a record of authorised CCTV users and a separate register documenting the release of footage.
The register must specify the date, purpose and identity of the recipient.
Any unauthorised access to surveillance systems or recordings must be reported immediately to the competent authority.
The Commission has directed state and district authorities to undertake closer scrutiny of surveillance arrangements in child care institutions housing girls, with particular attention to safeguards against unauthorised monitoring and misuse of recordings.
Inspection teams will verify the details of CCTV-connected equipment, identify individuals authorised to view live feeds and recorded footage, and examine password security, remote access settings and arrangements for secure storage and preservation of recordings.
Any deficiencies detected during inspections must be rectified immediately, while responsibility for non-compliance will be fixed in accordance with the applicable rules.
The Women and Child Development Department has been instructed to issue written directions to all concerned district authorities and child care institutions, ensuring that the prescribed safeguards are implemented uniformly across Haryana.
The Commission emphasised that CCTV monitoring in residential child care facilities must remain a protective mechanism rather than become a source of vulnerability.
The advisory seeks to prevent sensitive information about children, particularly their daily activities, movements, and locations, from reaching individuals who lack legitimate authority to access it.
With a 15-day deadline for compliance reports, the Commission has placed responsibility on the concerned departments, district administrations and institutional authorities to ensure that surveillance systems operate within clearly defined security and privacy safeguards.
UNI KK RN
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