HC directs company to remove CCTV camera from rest room

The Madras High Court today directed a pharmaceutical company here to remove CCTV camera from its employee's rest room immediately since it is the employee's "private area".
Justice C S Karnan, allowing a petition by the employees union of Raptakos, Brett and Company Limited seeking an order to the company for the removal of the camera in the rest room, said "the rest room area of the employees is a private area wherein no factory fixtures or raw materials or produced goods or operations of any kind were allowed.
"This court is of further view that the employer and employees should maintain a smooth cordial relationship for welfare of all concerned. Hence this court is constrained to give the direction for the removal of the CCTV camera at the said rest room".

The company installed CCTV camera at the rest room of the employees on Octobr 15, 2013 against which they approached the Deputy Commissioner of Labour on the next day.
The official directed the management to remove it from the rest room of the employees.
As the management did not heed to it, the employees' union approached the High Court.
In their petition, the union submitted that the action of the management is contrary to Industrial Disputes Act.
The action is contrary to Article 21 of the constitution of India, the union submitted.