Global Positioning System Tracker Anklet

• 15 Nov 2023

Source: IE

Why in News?

Recently, a prisoner in Jammu and Kashmir was released on bail after he was tagged with a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker anklet on his foot to monitor his movements.

• This is the first time in the country that a GPS tracker has been put to such use.

What are GPS Tracker Anklets?

• About:
  • GPS anklets are small, wearable devices that are attached to the ankles of individuals who are under some form of legal supervision, such as parole, probation, house arrest, or bail.
    • The tracker can be put on the ankle or arm of a person. Thus, there are GPS anklets and GPS bracelets.
  • GPS anklets are tamper-proof, and any attempt to remove or damage them triggers an alarm.
    • They also have a battery life of several days and can be recharged by the wearer.
  • GPS anklets can also be used to enforce curfews, travel restrictions, or other conditions imposed by the court or the supervising agency.
• Working Procedure:
  • GPS anklets use the GPS technology to provide the exact location of the wearer at all times, and allow law enforcement and security agencies to monitor their movements in real-time.
• GPS Anklets usage on Prisoners:
  • GPS anklets alleviate criminal justice costs, easing prison overcrowding and directing resources to serious offenses.
  • They balance public safety and rehabilitation by deterring crime, ensuring law compliance, and fostering offender well-being through family ties, education, and support services.
• Legal Position on the Use of GPS Anklets Globally:
  • GPS trackers are a precondition for bail in several countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia.
• Concerns Regarding the GPS Anklets in India:
  • Rights activists argue that tracking individuals with GPS is a violation of their fundamental right to privacy and dignity of the offenders.
    • The Supreme Court of India in ‘Maneka Gandhi vs Union of India’ (1978) ruled that the right to life includes the right to human dignity.
  • GPS anklets raise some legal and ethical issues, such as the lack of clear and specific laws and regulations governing their usage in India.

What is a Global Positioning System?

• GPS is a satellite navigation system, used to determine the ground position of an object. It is a US-owned utility that provides users with Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services.
• It provides service to civilian and military users. The civilian service is freely available to all users on a continuous, worldwide basis. The military service is available to US and allied armed forces as well as approved Government agencies.

Note:

• To meet the PNT services of India, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has established a regional navigation satellite system called Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. In which of the following areas can GPS technology be used? (2018)

1. Mobile phone operations
2. Banking operations
3. Controlling the power grids

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (d)