Through the Eye of the State: Biometrics, Surveillance and the Evolution of Liberty in India’s Criminal Justice System

This piece critically examines the constitutional and philosophical implications of the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022. This piece contends that while the Act strengthens the evidentiary and identification power of the state, it threatens to upset the precarious balance between state power and liberty. Based on the Puttaswamy privacy doctrine, Foucault's surveillance theory, and comparative law perspective, this piece critiques whether liberty is compatible with a digitalized criminal justice system.