Amid criticism from Congress on the amendment made in the Conduct of Election Rules, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday categorically said candidates already have access to all the documents and papers, and nothing has been amended in the rules in this regard.

In response to a query on the amendment made by the Centre in the Conduct of Election Rules on Friday, an official of the poll panel said recently Punjab and Haryana High Court in a case – Mahmoud Pracha vs ECI had directed sharing of all documents related to Haryana Assembly elections, including treating CCTV footage also as permissible under Rule 93(2) of the Conduct of Election Rules.

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Informing that the rule mentioned election papers, the official said, “The election papers and documents does not specifically refer to electronic records.”

“In order to remove this ambiguity and considering the serious issue of violation of secrecy of vote and potential misuse of CCTV footage of inside the polling station using artificial intelligence by a single person, the rule has been amended to safeguard misuse of CCTV footage of inside of the polling station,” the official said.

The poll panel official further said, “Sharing of CCTV footage may have serious repercussions specially in sensitive areas like J&K, naxal affected regions, etc where secrecy is important. Lives of the voters may also be at risk. All election papers and documents are otherwise available for public inspection.”

“Candidates in any case have access to all documents, papers and records. Even Pracha was entitled for all the documents and records from his constituency when he contested as a candidate in Lok Sabha Elections 2024,” the official added.

Earlier in the day, Congress general secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh slammed the ECI over the amendment in the Conduct of Election Rules and said it will be challenged legally.

In a post on X, the Congress MP said, “If there was ever a vindication of our assertions regarding the rapidly eroding integrity of the electoral process managed by the ECI in recent times, this is it. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and information will restore faith in the process – a reasoning the Punjab and Haryana High Court agreed with when it directed the ECI to share all information that it is legally required to do so with the public.”

“Yet the ECI, instead of complying with the judgment, rushes to amend the law to curtail the list of what can be shared. Why is the ECI so afraid of transparency? This move of the ECI will be challenged legally right away,” he said.