The Allahabad High Court at Lucknow has disposed of a writ petition seeking continuous videography of poll proceedings in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council election from the Lucknow Division Graduates’ Constituency, after the Election Commission of India assured the Court that videography would be conducted as per its Handbook for Returning Officers.
A Division Bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary disposed of the plea in terms of the statement made on behalf of the respondents.
Background
The petitioner, Shailendra Singh, is contesting the election to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council from the Lucknow Division Graduates’ Constituency as an Independent candidate. His name appears at serial no. 13 in the list of contesting candidates in Form 7B dated 09.10.2026 issued by the Returning Officer.
His grievance related to transparency in the conduct of the election.
Plea for Videography at Polling Stations
Senior Counsel Gaurav Mehrotra, assisted by Advocates Amit Kumar Singh Bhadauriya and Ritika Singh, appeared for the petitioner. The submissions were confined to a direction that poll proceedings inside all polling stations be videographed on the date of the poll, and that the videography be continuous and uninterrupted under the supervision of an officer accountable for it.
The petitioner relied on paragraph 49 of the Handbook for Returning Officers for Elections to the Council of States and State Legislative Councils, published by the Election Commission of India in February 2016. It was also stated that Chapter IX, Paragraph 14 of the Handbook prescribes a detailed procedure for videography.
ECI’s Statement Before the Court
Senior Counsel O.P. Srivastava, assisted by Advocate Anupriya Srivastava, appeared for the Election Commission of India. On instructions from the Chief Electoral Officer, he submitted at the very outset that “provision has already been made for compliance of Paragraph 49 of the aforesaid Handbook and the videography would be conducted in terms of the provisions provided in the said Handbook.”
Mehrotra then submitted that the petitioner’s grievance stood satisfied in view of the Commission’s statement that it would comply with the videography provisions of the Handbook.
Outcome
Recording the statement, the Bench held, “Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of in terms of the statement made on behalf of respondents before this Court.”
The supplementary affidavit and written instructions filed on the day of the hearing were taken on record.
Case Title: Shailendra Singh v. Election Commission of India Thru. Secy. Nirvachan Sadan New Delhi and 2 Others
Case No.: Writ – C No. 11746 of 2026
Bench: Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary
Date: October 22, 2026
