Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in India

My question concerns a surveillance camera and recording device installed by a society member, a flat owner, without the permission of the other neighbours. We have 4 flats on each floor and I live in one of the 3 other flats. The camera angle includes the whole landing, so it can see and record who comes in and out of the lift and who comes and goes, and at what time, to and from all the flats. My immediate neighbour and I both see this as an invasion of our privacy. In fact we are in an L-shape and their flat is not visible from our two flats and vice versa. Which means from their peephole they cannot see our doors or our part of the L-shaped passage, but now they can see it all through their external camera. I am a woman living alone and my neighbour lives with her husband and two grown-up daughters and we both feel why should anyone be able to watch our comings and goings or our visitors without our permission? Just one example: I keep my rubbish bin out late at night when the passage is empty, for the early morning collection, making sure nobody sees me in my nightdress, but now even this will be recorded! My neighbour has the same worry regarding herself and her daughters. She feels that she and her husband are fine with their daughters working late, partying late, dressing up and going out, but now this neighbour and his family will be observing all this and possibly making comments. Even if they don't, even if they are uninterested in us (which I believe they are) and have their own reasons for the security device, we don't want to be included in their surveillance! So she and I went and requested the man who installed the camera to have the angle changed so that only his flat door is covered. After much argument he said he will pan the camera so that our two doors are not seen, but he insists on covering the lift and whole common passage. Which means the moment we take a step outside we are visible. The moment our relatives, guests, friends, delivery people, domestic help come and go they are visible. And recorded! We already have a cctv in teh building foyer downstairs. So is there some bye law or legal ruling that can be quoted to prevent this intrusive act by an individual? Our society office-bearers are not cooperative. I'd really appreciate some answers and some advice from this forum. Many thanks, Vani


Asked on 4/06/15, 6:06 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Steps to be taken:-

1. Talk to flat owner welfare association .,

2. Talk to other flat owners make it a issue,

2. go to women cell in local police station,

3. serve him a legal notice,

4. Go to court, get an injunction against him

There are many things you can do, but you should first deal with this thing politely, if there is no result then go with the extreme steps.

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Answered on 4/08/15, 3:31 am


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