- People closely following the fortunes of political churnings in the country would have noticed how the Election Commission of India (ECI) is targeted by the Grand Old Party time and again questioning the integrity of the electronic voting machines (EVMs). It’s another matter altogether that the GOP does not raise similar questions when it wins the election on rare occasions. The Congress is most adept at questioning the functioning of the EVMs whenever it loses quite comprehensively even as some of the exit polls suggest otherwise. Due credit should accrue to successive commissioners of the ECI for not only reinforcing the electorates’ trust in its functioning but also strengthening the very process of fair, peaceful, and clean polling.
PC: Institute of Development Studies
- However, the clamouring to paint the ECI as biased and leaning towards the party in power hasn’t stopped despite the poll watchdog introducing several pathbreaking measures to ensure every polling in the country is conducted fairly. The Congress party has been consistently raising the issues of partiality and tampering with EVMs in the last few years without proof though. In this context, the EC’s decision to bring changes in the electoral rules, specifying that CCTV footage of poll booths will not be made available to contestants and the general public, needs wider debate. The move would be tantamount to giving credence to the main opposition party’s unsubstantiated grouse against the ECI for working in silos. The ECI should revisit the move in right earnest.
PC: The Hindu
- Note that before the amendment, Section 93(2) of the Conduct of Election Rules allowed all papers relating to election to be open to public inspection with court permission. True, the rules did not particularly specify that CCTV footage of polling booths would be made available. But a recent Punjab and Haryana high court direction had granted such a request from a petitioner. EC says the change has been brought in for the safety and protection of voters. While this argument is not without merit, particularly in sensitive areas of J&K and Maoist-hit districts, the issue is equally about the sanctity of the election process. The peculiar security situation in J&K and Maoist-hit districts isn’t new.
PC: Britannica
Nonetheless, ensuring the integrity of the electoral process is a vital tool to get voters to the pooling booth in sensitive areas. Further, EC also says CCTV footage can be misused using AI. Again, there’s no denying that using AI to cast aspersions on the polling process is a problem. But AI-generated deepfakes are out in society and need to be tackled case by case. In the digital era, bans on video footage can’t be the solution to AI manipulation. Agreed, one of EC’s main jobs is to educate the public and enhance trust in the election process. This is most needed today, especially in light of fiascos such as the Chandigarh mayoral polls earlier this year. The EC’s track record in conducting elections in the largest democracy in the world is unparalleled. To maintain that trust, it should revisit its latest rule change.
