Madurai:Installation of CCTV cameras in spas and massage parlours, on the basis of apprehension, is an "intrusion into the rights of individuals" and would amount to infringing their bodily autonomy, the Madras High Court has observed.
Justice G R Swaminathan of the Madurai bench of the HC made the observation on Tuesday while disposing of a petition from a spa owner seeking direction to the Tiruchirappalli police to issue a no-objection certificate. He also wanted this Court to restrain the police from interfering with the running of the spa.
The judge noted installing CCTV cameras was also a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution.
"In the first place, unless a legislature mandates by law that CCTV cameras should be installed in certain place, it cannot be done. It is a violation of Art 21 (on privacy)," he said.
"The installation of CCTV equipment inside premises such as a spa would unquestionably infract upon a person's bodily autonomy. These are inviolable spaces where the prying eye of the state simply cannot be allowed to enter," the judge added.