The Election Commission has dismissed the speculation aired by members of the government that its installation of CCTV cameras in polling booths of the recently-scrapped Gaibandha-5 by-election violated the citizens'[ voting rights in any way, or more specifically that it deprived them of the secrecy and non-disclosure they are entitled to with regards to their vote.
The EC has described the claims as 'inappropriate' and 'misleading'.
"The installation of CCTV cameras polling booths was to monitor the situation of the election activities. It was not possible to watch who voted for which symbol and show it to others," the EC said in a press release circulated on Sunday.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday had said installation of CCTV cameras in secret polling booths is infringement of privacy and infringes on the fundamental rights of the citizens.
“The secret booths will no longer remain secret, if CCTV cameras are installed there to see who votes for which symbol and show it to others. If so, it would be infringement of privacy as per the opinions of the legal experts,” he said.
The Election Commission installed CCTV cameras in the polling stations to monitor the Gaibandha-5 by-polls remotely from Dhaka and cancelled the election, witnessing ‘massive irregularities’ through the CCTV cameras.
The commission said the EC only monitors if any unwanted person enters or chaos and violence takes place there though CCTV.
EC takes all measures within its powers to preserve the secrecy of the voters during voting according to the existing laws, it added.
The Commission also called upon all responsible figures to cooperate for making any election fair and neutral by avoiding misleading speeches.