Bihar MLC vote count: CCTV row erupts at Patna centre, Congress candidate stages sit-in
Synopsis
A multi-party protest has erupted mid-count at the Patna Bihar MLC counting centre after candidates from Congress, RJD and Jan Suraaj discovered that CCTV cameras — present across the venue — were conspicuously absent from the one place that matters most: where ballot boxes are opened and votes are tallied.
Key Takeaways
Congress candidate Dr Sanjay Yadav staged a sit-in at the Patna counting centre on 27 October 2026 over the absence of CCTV cameras in the vote-counting area.
Counting for eight Bihar Legislative Council seats, including the Patna Teachers' and Patna Graduates' constituencies, is being held at Bankipur Girls Senior Secondary School .
Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh and RJD candidate Dr Sanjeev Kumar also raised objections to the arrangement.
Patna DM Kundan Kumar said ECI guidelines do not mandate CCTV inside counting areas, and that videography is being conducted instead.
Yadav vowed to continue his protest until a camera is installed or a written clarification is provided.
A dispute over the absence of CCTV cameras in the ballot-opening and vote-counting area has broken out at the Patna counting centre on 27 October 2026, as votes are tallied for eight Bihar Legislative Council (MLC) seats. Congress candidate Dr Sanjay Yadav staged a sit-in protest, alleging the arrangement compromised the transparency of the counting process.
What Triggered the Protest
Counting for the Patna Graduates' and Patna Teachers' constituencies is underway at Bankipur Girls Senior Secondary School under tight security. Opposition candidates, however, noticed that while CCTV cameras were installed across most of the counting centre, none were placed in the specific area where ballot boxes are opened and votes are tallied.
Dr Sanjay Yadav, the Congress candidate for the Patna Teachers' constituency, said the selective placement was unacceptable. 'There are CCTV cameras everywhere in the counting centre, except where the ballot boxes are being opened, and the counting is taking place. In such a situation, the counting process is rendered meaningless,' he said, adding that the Election Commission of India (ECI) should ensure adequate safeguards.
Yadav's Demand and Administration's Response
Yadav said he raised the issue with Patna District Magistrate Kundan Kumar, who told him that CCTV cameras inside the counting area were not required under the applicable ECI rules. According to Yadav, the District Magistrate did not provide a written response, prompting him to declare he would continue his sit-in until either a camera was installed or a written clarification was furnished.
Responding to the controversy, DM Kundan Kumar said all arrangements were being made in accordance with Election Commission of India guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures. He clarified that CCTV cameras had not been installed inside the counting area for this election and that videography was being conducted at intervals instead. He also stated that candidates had been briefed about the applicable procedures.
Other Parties Join the Objection
The protest was not limited to the Congress. Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh expressed dissatisfaction with conditions inside the counting centre, describing the area as untidy and also questioning the absence of cameras. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Dr Sanjeev Kumar similarly alleged that the lack of continuous camera surveillance could undermine public confidence in the outcome. He argued that interval-based videography was an inadequate substitute for round-the-clock CCTV monitoring.
What Happens Next
As counting continues, Opposition candidates are demanding additional assurances of transparency, while the district administration maintains that the process is being conducted strictly according to prescribed rules. This comes amid broader, recurring concerns in Bihar about electoral oversight during MLC polls — a segment of state politics that typically draws less national scrutiny than assembly or parliamentary contests. Whether the ECI responds with a formal clarification on the CCTV norm could set a precedent for future council elections across the country.
Point of View
Exempting the most sensitive segment — the counting table itself — is a contradiction that erodes institutional trust. The district administration's defence that procedures were followed is technically valid but politically tone-deaf; the question is not whether rules were broken, but whether the rules are adequate. Bihar's council elections rarely attract the oversight pressure of assembly polls, which makes this episode a useful stress-test of how far existing norms stretch.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Congress candidate protest at the Patna Bihar MLC counting centre?
Dr Sanjay Yadav , the Congress candidate for the Patna Teachers' constituency, protested because CCTV cameras were installed throughout the counting centre but not in the area where ballot boxes are opened and votes are tallied. He argued this selective placement undermined the transparency of the counting process.
What did Patna DM Kundan Kumar say about the CCTV absence?
Patna DM Kundan Kumar stated that all arrangements comply with Election Commission of India guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures, which do not require CCTV cameras inside the counting area. He said videography is being conducted at intervals and that candidates had been briefed on the applicable rules.
Which other parties objected to the counting arrangements?
Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Dr Sanjeev Kumar both raised objections. Singh described conditions inside the counting area as untidy, while Kumar argued that interval-based videography was an inadequate substitute for continuous CCTV surveillance.
Where is the Bihar MLC vote counting taking place?
Counting for the Patna Graduates' and Patna Teachers' constituencies — two of eight Bihar Legislative Council seats — is being held at Bankipur Girls Senior Secondary School in Patna under tight security.
What will happen if the CCTV demand is not met?
Dr Sanjay Yadav has said he will continue his sit-in protest until either a camera is installed in the counting area or a written clarification is issued by the administration. The district administration, however, maintains that the process is already in compliance with prescribed rules.
