Punjab and Haryana High Court directs ECI to provide documents on Haryana elections to Mehmood Pracha

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to supply videography, CCTV footage and copies of documents related to votes polled in a polling station during the recent Haryana assembly elections to advocate Mehmood Pracha [Mehmood Pracha [Mehmood Pracha vs Election Commission of India and Others]..Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj said the requisite documents be supplied to Pracha within a period of six weeks of his submission of an application for it.“Taking into the consideration the provisions of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, the respondents are directed to supply the copy of the requisite documents, other than the documents qua which a restriction has been imposed under the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, within a period of 06 weeks of submission of such an application and deposit of the requisite charges by the petitioner,” the Court ordered..Pracha through advocate Isha Janjua had prayed for supply of videography, CCTV footage and copies of Forms 17-C Parts I and II pertaining to the Haryana Legislative Assembly Elections, 2024.The plea was opposed by the ECI, saying that Pracha was neither a resident of Haryana nor had he contested the election in any assembly segment. However, Pracha’s counsel submitted that the documents can still be provided to him.“As per the provisions of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, the only distinction cast between a Candidate and any other person is that while the documents have to be supplied free of cost to a Candidate who contested the election, the documents are to be supplied to any other person subject to payment of the fee as may be so prescribed,” she said.It was further submitted that Pracha is ready and willing to pay the fee as has been prescribed by the competent authority..Considering the undertaking, the Court allowed the plea with the direction to supply the requisite documents in accordance with the rules.Advocate Isha Janjua represented the petitioner.Standing Counsel Prateek Gupta represented the Election Commission of India.Additional Advocate General Vivek Saini represented the State of Haryana..[Read Judgment].Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.