LUCKNOW, Jan. 25 -- In a ruling aimed at safeguarding patient privacy, the Uttar Pradesh Information Commission has held that CCTV footage from hospitals cannot be shared with individuals merely on request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, unless it forms part of a police investigation or is sought under a court order. Information commissioner Mohammad Nadeem passed the order on January 21 while hearing an appeal filed by Kulwant Singh, who had sought CCTV footage from a hospital in Bijnor district. The information commissioner emphasised that hospitals are sensitive public health spaces where the privacy of patients, their attendants, doctors and staff must be protected. "A hospital is a public health institution where hundreds of patients, their relatives, medical professionals and staff move around every day. CCTV footage does not capture only the appellant but also records the activities of many other individuals. This concerns their privacy, and unless there is a justified reason or larger public interest, the RTI Act does not permit the violation of anyone's privacy," he observed. He further noted that allowing one person access to hospital CCTV footage to substantiate a personal complaint could compromise the privacy of numerous unrelated individuals. "We cannot give one individual the right to intrude into the privacy of hundreds of others simply to support his grievance," the order stated. The commission clarified that hospital CCTV footage may be disclosed only when it is part of a police investigation or when directed by a competent court. Beyond these circumstances, disclosure can be considered only if it can be ensured that no third party's privacy is affected....