The Election Commission has clarified its position on the 45-day limit for retaining CCTV footage from polling booths. Sources within the poll body stated that extending the duration beyond this period, while seemingly fair, could pose a threat to voter privacy and potentially expose them to pressure or intimidation. This response came after Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, raised concerns over the deletion timeline, alleging a lack of transparency in the electoral process.

In a strongly worded post on X, Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of “destroying evidence” and questioned its accountability. He referred to various procedural issues, including the lack of machine-readable voter lists and restricted access to polling footage, which he claimed indicated a “fixed match.” Highlighting the 45-day rule, he asked why election videos were being destroyed so quickly and accused the commission of shielding critical data that could clarify doubts around election conduct.

The Election Commission, while not issuing an official statement, maintained that the current rules are designed to balance transparency with the protection of voter identities and democratic integrity. The poll body emphasized that safeguarding the secrecy of the ballot is a constitutional obligation and extending the retention period could inadvertently breach this principle. Sources added that any evidence of electoral malpractice must be presented within the stipulated time frame, as per the existing legal framework, and that the commission is open to reviewing procedures if required by law.