Preserve CCTV footage of civic polls for 60 days: Madras HC

“As the local body election results were declared on October 12, the SEC should protect the video contents for 60 days from October 13,” the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice PD Audikesavalu directed while hearing a plea moved by Naseembee, a candidate who contested to the post of president of Veeramangalam village in Villupuram. 

The petitioner contended that the authorities failed to ensure the presence of candidates while removing the seals of voting machines of some wards of the village panchayat. As the authorities failed to take action on his complaint, he had approached the Villupuram principal district court against the election result. “Therefore, the SEC should protect the CCTV footage of the local body elections,” said the petitioner. 

Responding to this, the SEC submitted that it would preserve the video grabs for 45 days from the day the election results were announced. The bench then directed it to preserve it for 60 days and disposed of the matter.