New Delhi, June 21: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has strongly criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of undermining transparency by erasing crucial electoral data. His comments follow a recent EC directive instructing state officials to discard CCTV, webcasting, and videography footage 45 days after election results are announced—unless a legal challenge is filed within that time.
Posting on social media platform X, Gandhi wrote, “Voter list? Denied in machine-readable format. CCTV? Concealed through legal amendments. Election visuals? Now deleted in 45 days, not 1 year. Those responsible for answers are erasing evidence.” He further alleged, “This is a fixed match. And fixed elections are toxic to democracy.”
The criticism comes in the backdrop of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, where Gandhi has raised concerns about polling integrity. The EC, in a letter dated May 30, clarified that video surveillance during elections is primarily a monitoring tool. However, citing misuse of visuals on social media to spread “malicious narratives,” the EC justified the shortened data retention policy.
According to electoral law, petitions challenging results can be filed within 45 days in the High Court. If no such case is registered, the commission now allows disposal of related digital records.
The move has attracted widespread criticism, with opposition leaders questioning the timing and transparency of the decision. Gandhi’s remarks have intensified scrutiny of the EC’s role in maintaining fairness and accountability in the electoral process.
