EC cites security risks, denies booth footage release.
The Election Commission (EC) has rejected the opposition’s demand to release CCTV footage from polling booths after 5 PM during the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, citing security and legal concerns. Opposition parties had alleged irregularities and demanded transparency through access to surveillance recordings. However, the EC maintained that releasing such footage could compromise the security of polling staff and voters, and may lead to potential misuse. It emphasized that all polling was conducted fairly and under strict monitoring. The EC added that its decisions adhere to the guidelines established by the Representation of the People Act and other electoral laws.
New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday, June 21, firmly rejected growing demands from opposition parties to release webcasting footage from polling stations during the recent 2024 Maharashtra elections, citing serious concerns over voter privacy and security.
Responding to calls for making post-5 PM CCTV footage public, EC officials stated that while the demand may appear reasonable on the surface, it fundamentally violates both legal provisions and individual rights. “What is veiled as a very logical demand is actually entirely contrary to the privacy and security concerns of voters,” officials said, pointing to the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951, as well as Supreme Court rulings.
The Election Commission clarified that electoral laws do not mandate recording or sharing polling station footage. Instead, the Commission employs webcasting primarily as an internal management and surveillance tool to ensure free and fair conduct during various stages of elections.
“However, the recent misuse of this content by non-contestants for spreading misinformation and malicious narratives on social media—through selective and out-of-context use of such footage—has prompted a thorough review,” the Commission stated.
Officials further explained that making such video recordings public could endanger the anonymity of voters, intimidate polling staff, and compromise the security apparatus involved in election conduct.
In recent weeks, several opposition leaders had alleged irregularities during the Maharashtra polls and demanded greater transparency, including access to CCTV or webcasting feeds. But the Commission has remained firm in its stance, reiterating that legal remedies are available to address genuine electoral grievances through authorized channels.
The EC also appealed to political stakeholders to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process and avoid actions that could erode public trust or incite confusion among voters through misinformation.