Itanagar, Jun 21: The Election Commission of India (ECI) while responding to recent demands for the public release of video or CCTV footage of webcasting from polling stations, said that it will undermine the fundamental principles of voter privacy, secrecy of the ballot, and electoral fairness.
Sharing such footage can lead to the identification of electors, both those who voted and those who did not, making them vulnerable to pressure, discrimination, and intimidation. Political entities could misuse this information to harass voters in areas where results didn’t favour them, it said.
The Election Commission of India retains webcasting footage only as an internal monitoring tool, not a mandatory requirement, and holds it for 45 days, the window for filing an Election Petition (EP). If an EP is filed, the footage is preserved and made available only to the competent court, as per legal process. Beyond this, retaining or sharing the footage poses risks of misuse, misinformation, and breaches of voter confidentiality.
Notably, the Hon’ble Supreme Court, in PUCL vs. Union of India (2013), affirmed that the right not to vote is as protected as the right to vote and both are covered under the voter’s right to secrecy.
Furthermore, video footage is comparable to Form 17A, which records voter details and is only accessible through a court order. Sharing footage without due process could amount to a violation of Section 128 of the RP Act, 1951, which penalizes breaches of voting secrecy.
ECI reiterated its unwavering commitment to protecting voter privacy. Any request to share polling day footage without a court directive will not be entertained, irrespective of external pressures. Privacy and secrecy of the voter are non-negotiable in Indian democracy, the Commission said.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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