The Maharashtra government has announced that it will set up an expert committee within the next 30 days to draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The move comes amid growing concerns over privacy, surveillance, and the use of facial recognition technology in government institutions.
Here are the key developments:
Responding to a calling attention motion in the Legislative Assembly, Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam said the state will constitute an expert committee comprising AI specialists within 30 days.
The panel has been tasked with preparing SOPs to regulate the responsible use of AI technologies in governance and public administration.
According to the minister, the committee is expected to submit its recommendations within four to six months.
The report will subsequently be forwarded to the Central government so that its recommendations can be considered while formulating India's national AI policy and legal framework.
Kadam said Artificial Intelligence has the potential to simplify governance, improve public services, and enhance administrative efficiency.
However, he cautioned that AI technologies can also be misused, making it necessary to establish clear guidelines and safeguards for their deployment.
The minister stated that current legal provisions already allow authorities to take action against individuals who use AI-enabled devices—such as smart glasses—to secretly record people or violate their privacy.
He added that security personnel deployed at sensitive government establishments will receive training to identify and handle AI-enabled surveillance devices.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray raised concerns over the facial recognition system installed at the Vidhan Bhavan complex.
He questioned how the system was implemented without obtaining the consent of MLAs, ministers, and former legislators.
Thackeray also demanded clarity on:
Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh questioned how the facial recognition database had been created, noting that legislators had never undergone iris scans or biometric registration within the legislature.
He warned that if facial recognition profiles can be generated using photographs alone, it raises significant privacy concerns not only for lawmakers but also for ordinary citizens.
Several ruling alliance legislators, including BJP MLA Sidharth Shirole, NCP MLA Chetan Tupe, and BJP MLA Namita Mundada, supported the need for a comprehensive regulatory framework governing AI usage in Maharashtra.
Addressing the controversy, Kadam clarified that the Legislature Secretariat functions under the authority of the Speaker and not the state government.
He said that, to the best of his knowledge, the facial recognition system appears to have been created using photographs already available with the Legislature Secretariat.
He added that if the Speaker orders an inquiry into the matter, the police machinery will conduct the investigation.
While Maharashtra will prepare operational guidelines through its expert committee, Kadam reiterated that a comprehensive legal framework governing Artificial Intelligence is expected to be introduced by the Central government.
The state's SOPs are intended to support responsible AI adoption while contributing recommendations to the national policy-making process.