Polling station clips may breach privacy of voters: Election panel

IN A CIRCULAR DATED JUNE 18, EC TOLD STATE UNITS THAT VIDEOS OF VOTING WILL ONLY BE DISCLOSED TO A HIGH COURT

- Abhishek Angad

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India has revised its rules for accessibility of video footage recorded during polls, saying that such footage cannot be viewed by anyone except a court hearing an election petition as it could breach privacy of voters and raise security concerns.

Sharing the footage—recorded through CCTVs, web-cast or videography—would enable easy identification of electors by any group or individual, and would leave them vulnerable to "pressure, discrimination, and intimidation by anti-social elements", officials familiar with the matter said citing the EC's communication.

In a circular dated June 18, the commission directed all states and Union territories that the revised rule will apply to elections notified after May 30, 2025.

"[The videos] shall be produced in original before the High Court adjudicating an election petition on its order and shall not be opened and their contents shall not be inspected by, or produced before, any person or authority except the High Court adjudicating the Election Petition," the commission said in the circular, which also contained previous communications pertaining to the preservation of video. HT has seen a copy of the circular.

The changes have come in the backdrop of a demand by the Congress and other opposition parties to release post-5pm CCTV footage from polling booths in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections.