New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday opposed demands to release webcasting and CCTV footage from polling stations, citing voter privacy concerns, claimed media reports citing sources. As per the EC, such disclosure could expose electors to pressure, discrimination, or intimidation.
The election body said the footage is used only for internal monitoring and is retained for 45 days and shared only with courts in election petition cases, which is in line with legal and Supreme Court guidelines, reported IANS citing sources.
What Rahul Gandhi Demanded?
The EC's response came hours after Gandhi demanded that the poll body should publish consolidated, digital, machine-readable voter rolls for the elections which are recently concluded, including the Maharashtra Assembly polls. He accused the Election Commission of "match fixing" the elections, claiming that the new instructions to delete CCTV footage of the election after 45 days of polls is a way to "delete evidence."
The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
He warned that a "fixed" election would be "poison for democracy," highlighting the need for a free and fair electoral process.
The Congress leader alleged that the CCTV footage is being hidden by changing the law, raising suspicions about the intentions behind this move.
"Voter list? Will not provide machine-readable format. CCTV footage? It was hidden by changing the law. Photo-video of the election? Now, not in 1 year, we will destroy it in 45 days only. The one from whom the answer was needed - is destroying the evidence. It is clear - the match is fixed. And a fixed election is poison for democracy," read a post by Rahul Gandhi on X.
Earlier, the EC had reportedly instructed its state officers to destroy footage of CCTV cameras and webcasting of the election process 45 days after the poll process is completed. The EC cited potential 'misuse' of its video data.
