New Delhi, April 19: The Election Commission of India has issued a stern warning regarding the dissemination of misinformation and fake content on social media and digital platforms during elections and by-elections. In a recent directive, the commission emphasized that all political parties must ensure responsible and ethical use of social media and digital platforms. Compliance with the Information Technology Act of 2000, IT Rules of 2021, and the Model Code of Conduct is mandatory.
The commission has mandated that any misleading or illegal content, whether generated or manipulated by AI, will be acted upon within three hours of detection. Political parties, candidates, and campaign representatives must clearly label any artificially created or AI-altered content as ‘AI Generated’, ‘Digitally Enhanced’, or ‘Synthetic Content’. Additionally, transparency is crucial; the origin of the content must be disclosed to maintain voter trust.
The Election Commission stated that it is actively monitoring social media content during the ongoing assembly elections and taking necessary actions. This includes posts that violate the election code, disrupt law and order, or spread false information regarding the voting process or machinery.
Actions are being taken under the IT Act by the relevant state IT nodal officers. Since the announcement of elections on March 15, 2026, over 11,000 social media posts and URLs have been identified and acted upon. These actions include content removal, filing FIRs, seeking clarifications, and issuing retractions.
The commission reiterated the provisions under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which prohibits the display of any electoral material in polling areas during the 48 hours leading up to the end of voting. Media platforms, including television, radio, print, and social media, must strictly adhere to these provisions.
Furthermore, citizens, political parties, and candidates can report violations of the election code using the ‘C-Vigil Module’ available on ECI Net. Between March 15 and April 19, a total of 323,099 complaints were registered using the C-Vigil app, with 310,393 complaints, or 96.01%, resolved within the stipulated 100-minute timeframe.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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