CCTV footage barred to stop ‘misuse’, guarantee voter privateness, claims CEC

“CCTV protection, webcasting of polling stations should not carried out below Conduct of Election Guidelines however are the results of steps taken by the EC to make sure a stage enjoying discipline,” a former EC official mentioned.

An EC functionary mentioned, “There have been cases the place such digital information had been sought, citing the foundations. The modification ensures that solely papers talked about within the guidelines can be found for public inspection and another doc which has no reference within the guidelines just isn’t allowed for public inspection.”

Candidates have already got entry to all paperwork and papers; nothing has been amended within the guidelines on this regard, the functionary added.

The Punjab and Haryana Excessive Court docket, within the current Mahmoud Pracha vs Election Fee of India case, had directed sharing all paperwork associated to the Haryana meeting elections, together with treating CCTV digicam footage as permissible below Rule 93(2), with Pracha.

The rule talked about election papers. The election papers and paperwork don’t particularly confer with digital information, the EC functionaries mentioned.

With a purpose to take away this ambiguity, the rule has been amended to safeguard the misuse of CCTV digicam footage of polling stations, one other EC official defined.

A legislation ministry official mentioned all election papers and paperwork had been in any other case accessible for public inspection.