The Congress on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court with a petition challenging the Election Commission of India's recent amendments to rules linked to electronic documents, including inspection of CCTV footage, webcasting recordings and video footage of candidates.
The Centre recently amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, based on the recommendations of the poll panel.
Expressing concerns over the diminishing integrity of India's electoral process, the age-old party filed a writ petition in the apex court.
AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who filed the petition, said, "The integrity of the electoral process is fast eroding. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will help restore it."
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"A writ has just been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the recent amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961," he said in a post on X.
Ramesh said the ECI, a constitutional body charged with the conduct of free and fair elections cannot be allowed to unilaterally, and without public consultation, amend such a vital law in such a brazen manner.
{{/usCountry}}Ramesh said the ECI, a constitutional body charged with the conduct of free and fair elections cannot be allowed to unilaterally, and without public consultation, amend such a vital law in such a brazen manner.
{{/usCountry}}"This is especially true when that amendment does away with public access to essential information that makes the electoral process more transparent and accountable," he said.
What is the amendment that Congress attacked EC for?
The government has tweaked an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV cameras and webcasting footage as well as video recordings of candidates to prevent their misuse, reported PTI.
Based on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India, the Union law ministry last week amended Rule 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to restrict the type of "papers" or documents open to public inspection.
According to Rule 93, which has now been amended, all "papers" related to elections shall be open to public inspection. The amendment inserts "as specified in these rules" after "papers".
(With PTI inputs)