Election Commission rejects Congress demand for polling booth CCTV footage

Patna: Amid a viral video posted by the Congress seeking the public release of polling station CCTV footage with the message “Ab na chalegi chori, na koi bahana,” the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday issued a strong rebuttal, dismissing the demand as “misleading and not in line with the existing laws.” The EC stressed that it stood firmly by the privacy of voters, calling it essential to preserve the “integrity of elections.”

“Making polling station CCTV footage publicly accessible would risk the secrecy of the ballot, a cornerstone of free and fair elections, as well as the privacy of voters, by enabling identification of who has voted or not voted, leaving voters vulnerable to pressure, discrimination, or intimidation,” the EC said in a post on X. It reiterated that ensuring the confidentiality of voters was non-negotiable.


In its fact-check, the EC also cited judicial precedents. Referring to the Supreme Court’s Puttaswamy judgment of 2017, it noted that the right to privacy had been declared a fundamental right under Article 21, with aspects of bodily, informational and decisional privacy traceable to Articles 14 and 19 as well. The EC added that the Bombay High Court had dismissed writ petition No. 1402 of 2025, which sought CCTV footage of polling stations during the Maharashtra assembly elections, and pointed out that the Supreme Court too declined to interfere with the high court’s order.

Clarifying further, the EC referred to Section 81 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which allows an election petition to be filed within 45 days of the declaration of results. In line with this provision, the EC said it retains CCTV footage for 45 days. “It works as per the Constitution of India, election laws, and orders of the Supreme Court of India,” the statement added.

The EC’s reply came well after the Congress circulated its video on Aug 25, making the call for transparency in polling footage part of its wider campaign. The party accompanied the video with the demand for the resignation of the leader it accused of having “captured the throne through vote theft.”

The slogan “vote chor, gaddi chhor” has taken centre stage in the Congress campaign and has been embraced by its INDIA bloc allies. During the recently concluded Voter Adhikar Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi across Bihar, the refrain was raised at every stop, resonating strongly with supporters.

On its part, the EC has rejected allegations of vote manipulation, insisting that the electoral process is conducted in strict adherence to the law and under judicial scrutiny. But with the INDIA bloc seeking to frame the upcoming polls as a referendum on electoral integrity, the issue looks set to remain at the forefront of the campaign in Bihar.