The Election Commission has made a big statement amid the demand to make public webcasting footage of polling stations public. Election Commission officials said on Saturday that such a step is a violation of voters’ privacy and safety concerns. He said that such a demand is fine for his perception, which seems to be suitable for voter -friendly and protecting the democratic process, but in reality its purpose is to achieve the opposite purpose.
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Officials claimed that the one who is being introduced as a very logical demand is actually a violation of voters’ privacy and safety concerns. This is completely opposite to the legal status prescribed in the Representation of the Public Representation Act, 1950 and 1951 and the directions of the apex court. He insisted that by sharing the footage, both voters and not voters can come under target of anti -social elements. This will make it easier to identify voters from any group or person.
Election Commission explained with example
For example, he said that if a particular political party gets less votes at a particular booth, then he can easily identify through CCTV footage of which voter has voted and not the voter. They can then be disturbed or threatened. Certainly the Election Commission keeps CCTV footage with a period of 45 days, which is an internal management completely. This is not a mandatory requirement. This process is also due to the prescribed period to file an election petition.
Explained the reason for saving footage for 45 days
Officials made it clear that no election could be challenged after 45 days of the announcement of the result. Therefore, keeping the footage with you for more than this period increases the chances of misuse of materials to spread misinformation and malicious news from the side. He said that if an election petition is filed within 45 days, CCTV footage is not destroyed and it is also made available to the competent court if demanded.
‘Election Commission’s duty to maintain voter confidentiality’
Officials said that maintaining the confidentiality of the voter is unavoidable for the Election Commission. The Commission has never compromised on this necessary principle prescribed in the law, which has also been upheld by the Supreme Court. Fearing its electronic data becoming a malicious means, the Election Commission has directed its state election officials to destroy the CCTV cameras, webcasting and video footage of the election process after 45 days if the verdict is not challenged in the courts within that period.
Opposition has been raising questions
The comment has come up with the Congress and other opposition parties demanding the release of CCTV footage from polling stations in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections after 5 pm. In December last year, the government had changed an election rule to prevent public inspection of some electronic documents such as CCTV cameras and webcasting footage as well as video recording of candidates, so that their misuse could be stopped.
What did Rahul Gandhi say on social media?
Rahul Gandhi wrote on social media platform X, ‘Voter list? Machine-readable formats will not be given. CCTV footage? The law changed and hidden. Election photos and videos? Now not 1 year, will erase in 45 days. The one who wanted the answer – the same evidence is erasing. He further wrote, it is clear that the match is fixed. And the fixed election is poison for democracy.
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