NEW DELHI, June 21 — Amid opposition demands for public release of polling booth CCTV footage, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday firmly rejected the proposal, citing voter privacy, security risks, and the potential for misuse and intimidation.
Senior EC officials said while the demand appears “logical and voter-friendly,” it is in fact contrary to democratic safeguards and violates provisions of the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951 as well as the Supreme Court’s directives on electoral secrecy.
“Sharing such footage would allow easy identification of electors — both those who voted and those who didn’t — opening them to harassment, discrimination, or coercion by vested interests,” a senior official said. “What is projected as transparency could be used to subvert democracy.”
Officials warned that political actors could scrutinize booth-level voting trends and use the footage to target individuals or communities who did not vote in their favor. For instance, if a party sees poor results in a booth, they could analyze the footage to infer who abstained or voted otherwise, and intimidate or retaliate against them, they added.
The Commission clarified that webcasting and CCTV surveillance are internal management tools, not mandatory under electoral law. They are primarily used to ensure smooth conduct and deter malpractice on polling day.
As per EC protocol, CCTV footage is retained for 45 days — the legally prescribed window for filing election petitions. “Beyond this period, if no petition is filed, the footage is destroyed to prevent misuse,” an EC functionary said. If a petition is filed within the time frame, the footage is preserved and shared with the court, if requested.
The EC cited recent misuse of such footage on social media by non-contestants, who shared selective and out-of-context clips to stir misinformation and cast doubt on the electoral process. Officials said this prompted a policy review and reaffirmation of secrecy protocols.
To further protect the integrity of the process, the Union Law Ministry amended Rule 93 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, last December. Based on the EC’s recommendation, the rule now bars public inspection of electronic records, including webcasting footage and candidate videography.
The recent controversy gained momentum after Congress and other opposition parties demanded the release of post-5 pm footage from polling booths in Maharashtra during the 2024 Assembly elections. Responding to this, the EC reiterated that transparency must not compromise voter anonymity or electoral fairness.
“The privacy and secrecy of the elector is non-negotiable. The Commission has never compromised on this fundamental principle upheld by law and the judiciary,” said an EC official.
