HC won’t review state’s decision to instal silent observer device in sonography machines

However,opposition to the silent observer device largely revolves around concerns about invasion of privacy,which was the main contention of the IRIA before the court in its review petition.

However,the Division Bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice R P Sondurbaldota observed,“It is clear that the data from the silent observer will not be available to the public at large. The petition is therefore dismissed.”

During the hearing,the counsel for the association,Anita Bhaktwani,contended that the concerns about invasion of privacy and the possibility of its misuse are very high. Responding to these contentions,Chief Justice Shah said,“Merely the fact that such power can be misused is not a reason to do away with the power altogether.”

In August this year,the same bench had for the first time upheld the state government’s order. The court had then noted that it “could not close his eyes to the decreasing child sex ratio in the state”.

The court,however,upheld the contentions of the IRIA on the issue of the Form F,which needs to be filled online for every case of sonography treatment.

The association had claimed that the form had been posted on a private website,and that it should be available on the state government website.