The Election Commission of India has told the Allahabad High Court that polling stations will be video-graphed in line with its Handbook for Returning Officers, and that was enough to end a candidate’s petition asking for continuous, uninterrupted recording. The Court closed the writ petition “in terms of the statement made on behalf of respondents.”
Lucknow: Once the Election Commission of India stated that videography inside polling stations will be conducted in terms of its Handbook for Returning Officers, the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) disposed of a writ petition on polling station videography filed by an independent candidate. The election concerned is the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council election from the Lucknow Division Graduates’ Constituency [Shailendra Singh v. Election Commission of India Through Secretary, Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi and 2 Others].
The order in Writ-C No. 11746 of 2026 was passed on October 22, 2026 by a Division Bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary.
Closed on the Commission’s statement
Appearing for the Election Commission on instructions from the Chief Electoral Officer, Uttar Pradesh, Senior Advocate O. P. Srivastava, assisted by Advocate Anupriya Srivastava, told the Bench at the outset that provision had already been made for compliance with paragraph 49 of the Handbook, and that videography would be conducted in terms of the Handbook. Senior Advocate Gaurav Mehrotra, for the petitioner, submitted that the grievance stood satisfied if such a statement was made on behalf of the Commission.
“Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of in terms of the statement made on behalf of respondents before this Court.”
A supplementary affidavit and written instructions, both filed that day, were taken on record. The Court examined no election-related dispute on its merits, and the order records no finding against any party.
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What the candidate asked for
The petitioner, Shailendra Singh, is an independent candidate at serial number 13 in the list of contesting candidates in Form 7B dated October 9, 2026 issued by the Returning Officer. Transparency in the conduct of the election was his concern.
He sought one direction only: that proceedings inside all polling stations be video-graphed on the date of the poll, continuously and without interruption, under an accountable officer, as paragraph 49 of the Election Commission’s Handbook for Returning Officers for Elections to the Council of States and State Legislative Councils (February 2016) provides. He also pointed to Chapter IX, paragraph 14 of the Handbook, which prescribes the procedure for videography.
What the disposal leaves in place
The Commission’s statement now forms part of the disposal. Any later complaint about gaps in recording at polling stations for this election would therefore begin from that statement and the Handbook procedure it adopts. The Court has issued no wider direction on videography for Legislative Council elections.
Case Title: Shailendra Singh v. Election Commission of India Through Secretary, Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi and 2 Others [Writ-C No. 11746 of 2026]
Bench: Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary, Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench)
Date of Order: October 22, 2026
Appearances: Gaurav Mehrotra, Senior Advocate, assisted by Amit Kumar Singh Bhadauriya and Ritika Singh, for the Petitioner; O. P. Srivastava, Senior Advocate, assisted by Anupriya Srivastava, for the Election Commission of India