The Election Commission (EC) amended its guidelines to preserve video footage and elections, reduced the retention period by 45 days, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha hit the pole panel on Saturday, stating that “the answer needed is destroying the evidence”.
However, EC sources stated that change aligned the retention period for candidates and voters with a time limit to file a petition challenging an election 45 days after the declaration of results. Earlier, the timeframe from three months to one year, depending on the stage of the pole process, as stated by the Indian Express on Friday.
While writing on X, Gandhi said: “This is clear – the match is fixed. And a certain election is poison for democracy.”
The pole panel had revised its earlier guidelines released in September 2024, on preserving photos of video footage and election – reduced the retention period by 45 days after the announcement of results, after which no election petition (EP) is filed. The EC, citing the “recent misuse” of such material, gave its decision to the Chief Electoral Officers of all states and center areas on 30 May. The Commission underlined that videography and photography of the election process is not mandatory by law, but is used as “internal management equipment”.
In a post on X, Gandhi, who is leveling allegations of irregularities in the Maharashtra assembly elections last year, said: “Voter list? Will not provide machine-elective format. CCTV footage; It was hidden by changing the law. Election photo-videos? Now, we will not destroy only 45 days.”
EC sources said on Saturday that there was a demand to release videos of the pole process and to release webcasting footage of polling stations. He said that when the demands seem logical, they violated the privacy and security of the voters, which are retained by the representation of the People’s Act and the decisions of the court. Releasing footage will allow any group or individual to identify voters, which will increase the chances of pressure and intimidation of voters.
“Since no election can be challenged beyond 45 days of declaration of results, beyond this period, maintaining this footage, misinformation and malicious narratives make it susceptible to misuse of material by non-intelligence. In the case of EPs filed within 45 days, an ECS is also not destroyed when an unaccrisful is also provided.”
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This is the second important change made by EC in recent months related to CCTV footage of the election process. In December last year, the government amended Rule 93 (2) (A) of election rules to limit public access to such footage.
Gandhi’s attack on Election Commission, one piece The Indian Express On 14 June, he reiterated the allegations made in the past and questioned the figures for the Maharashtra assembly election, which has been released by the Poll Panel.
In his piece called “Match-fixing Maharashtra”, Gandhi wrote that “the use of voter rolls and CCTV footage is a tool to strengthen democracy, not to shut down jewelery”. Gandhi wrote, “The people of India have the right to assure whether no records have been done or will not be done.”
An inquiry by the Indian Express of its allegations and data around each shows that Gandhi’s criticism selectively refers to the record, ignoring the significant context and, in a case, even in a case, even a connection where no one is present.
(Tagstotransmit) Rahul Gandhi (T) Election Commission (T) Leader of Opposition (T) Lok Sabha
