Rahul Gandhi Accuses Election Commission of Concealing Evidence

Rahul Gandhi criticizes the Election Commission of India for directing officers to delete CCTV and other election footage after 45 days, alleging it hides evidence crucial for fair elections. Gandhi's remarks arise from concerns about electoral transparency, particularly regarding Maharashtra's assembly elections.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has levied serious accusations against the Election Commission of India, claiming it is 'deleting evidence' by instructing the destruction of CCTV, webcasting, and video footage of elections after 45 days. He questions the transparency of this move, highlighting its potential impact on electoral integrity.

Gandhi's concerns focus on obtaining machine-readable voter lists and retaining election footage for accountability, particularly in light of alleged irregularities in Maharashtra's assembly elections. This directive is seen as a response to fears of electronic data being exploited to craft 'malicious narratives' on social media.

The Election Commission justifies its decision by stating that recordings are not legally mandated and have been misused. It clarifies that if no legal challenges arise within 45 days, the footage will be destroyed, maintaining that this strategy prevents the spread of misinformation.

(With inputs from agencies.)