RTI to Srinagar Municipal Corporation

The information sought herein relates to a news report titled, J&K Police steps up effort to get facial recognition technology in Srinagar to track down terrorists, published in India Today dated Oct 21, 2021. The above-mentioned news report mentions that the J&K police is looking to collaborate with the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to install the state-of-the-art Facial Recognition technology across Srinagar. Please provide information in response to the following queries:

1. Please state the legislation or rule which authorizes Srinagar Municipal Corporation to use facial recognition technology.

2. Please state whether any legal opinion has been sought by Srinagar Municipal Corporation prior to procurement of facial recognition technology. If yes, please provide a copy of the legal opinion.

3. Please state whether any cost-benefit analysis, feasibility study or privacy impact assessment has been conducted for deployment of facial recognition technology by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation. If yes, please provide a copy of the same.

4. Please state whether there are any guidelines, policies, rules or standard operating procedure governing the use of facial recognition technology by Srinagar Municipal Corporation. If yes, please provide a copy of the same.

5. Please state the specific purposes for which facial recognition technology will be used by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation.

6. Please state the total planned expenditure to be incurred (in rupees) on procurement and maintenance of facial recognition technology with an annual breakdown.

7. Please provide a copy of the following documents relating to tender, if issued, by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation for procurement of facial recognition technology:

   a. All tender documents including Request for Proposals, Request for Quotations and Scope of Work

   b. List of bidders who applied for the tender

   c. Work Order issued to the selected and the Conditions of the Contract.

8. Please provide an exhaustive list of persons and/or organizations authorized to operate and use facial recognition technology.

9. Please provide details of the software and hardware being used for facial recognition.

10. Please provide details of the database(s) in which images are stored for the purpose of facial recognition including:

    a. Where these images are sourced from

    b. Where is this database located

    c. Which persons and/or organizations who have access to this database

11. Please provide a copy of the accuracy reports of such facial recognition technology which is being used or is proposed to be used.

12. Please provide information whether any third-party assessments have been made of the facial recognition technology being used. If yes, please provide a copy of the report of such assessment.

13. Please provide an exhaustive list of databases with which the facial recognition technology will be linked in order to identify individuals.

14. Please provide information with regard to the accuracy rate of the facial recognition technology being used.

15. Please provide a copy of all documents related to the queries herein.