1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA CWP No. 12264 of 2026 Decided on: 23.07.2026 Inderjit Singh …..Petitioner Versus State of H.P and others ..Respondents ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coram Ms. Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua Whether approved for reporting?1 For the Petitioner: Mr. Vipul Malhotra, Advocate (through V.C) and Mr. Vedant Singh, Advocate For the Respondents: Mr. Y.P.S. Dhaulta, Additional Advocate General, for respondents No. 1, 3 to 6. Mr. Surinder Kumar Sharma, Senior Advocate with Mr. Neeraj Sharma, Advocate, for respondent No.2. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jyotsna Rewal Dua, Judge The grievance of the petitioner as urged by learned counsel pertaining to preservation of CCTV footage of the counting hall and election record connected with the counting process was noticed as under in the order passed in this writ petition on 22.07.2026:- “Notice confined to respondents No.1 to 5, at this stage. Mr. L.N. Sharma, learned Additional Advocate General and Mr. Neeraj Sharma, learned 1Whether reporters of print and electronic media may be allowed to see the order? Yes. 2 counsel, accept notice on behalf of respondents No.1, 3 to 5 and 2, respectively. Learned Additional Advocate General to obtain instructions from the concerned quarter, more specifically from respondent No.4, regarding the order passed on the prayer of the petitioner for ‘preservation of the CCTV footage of the counting hall and electronic record connected with the counting process’, as made in Clause 4 of the relief clause of the election petition filed by him. Learned counsel for the petitioner alleges that petitioner's rights would be adversely affected if no order is passed by the competent authority on the aforesaid prayer of the petitioner, which, in essence, seeks interim relief during the pendency of the main election petition. List on 23.07.2026.” 2. Pursuant to above, learned Additional Advocate General has placed on record office instructions dated 22.07.2026 from Sub-Divisional Officer (C)-cum- Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Barsar, District Hamirpur, H.P. (respondent No.3). In terms of these office instructions, the petitioner has filed an election petition challenging the election of Up-Pardhan before the Sub-Divisional Officer (C), Barsar on 11.06.2026. The election fee through e- challan was submitted on 15.06.2026. The next date of hearing of election petition has been assigned as 05.08.2026. With respect to specific grievance of the petitioner, the office instructions are to the following effect:- “Regarding conservation of CCTV footage: That the letter has already been issued by the State Election Commission of Himachal Pradesh 3 vide dated 02.05.2026 in which direction were given to preserve the CCTV footage in storage device for three months. The above CCTV footage is preserved in District Panchayat office Hamirpur. The copy of letter of State Election Commission is attached as annexure C.” 3. The referred letter of State Election Commission dated 02.05.2026 has also been made part of the office instructions wherein directions have been given to preserve the CCTV footage in the storage device for three months. In terms of above office instructions, CCTV footage in question has already been preserved in the District Panchayat Office, Hamirpur. 4. Since the election petition preferred by the petitioner is now scheduled for hearing on 05.08.2026, this writ petition is disposed of with directions to respondent No.4- Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Barsar, District Hamirpur, H.P. to take appropriate call on the next date of hearing with respect to interim prayer made by the petitioner qua preservation of CCTV footage during pendency of election petition. With the above directions, this writ petition is disposed of . Pending miscellaneous application(s), if any, to also stand disposed of. Jyotsna Rewal Dua July 23, 2026 Judge yogesh