If an official gets special exemption without inquiry which element of rule of law weakens?

Correct answer: Equality before law

Direct answer: C, equality before law. The rule of law requires that a person’s official position should not automatically bring immunity from legal examination. Reasoning: an official receives public authority; an allegation or suspected violation arises; a fair inquiry should examine facts and law; giving a special exemption without inquiry treats that official more favorably than ordinary people. This weakens equal legal accountability. Option A, secrecy of voting, concerns keeping a voter’s choice private and is not involved. Option B, campaign freedom, concerns political expression during elections and does not explain immunity. Option C is correct because it states that all persons, including officials, are subject to law. Option D, voter-list correction, concerns administrative accuracy and is unrelated. Equality does not require identical procedures in every situation, but any difference must have a lawful and fair reason; unexplained privilege is the problem here. Memory cue: office may give responsibility, never automatic exemption from law.