Election Commission is strict about campaign on social media sites

The Election Commission Of India made it clear thatĀ  campaign on social media sites will be under strict scanner in the upcoming elections.

Taking serious view of the scope for these sites to incorporate paid news in their content, ECI Director General Akshay Raut said the commission will not spare any social media site that violates election code. He was interacting with the representatives of print and electronic media in Hyderabad.

Akshay Raut said the same set of rules applicable to electronic media apply to social media sites also as far paid news concerned.

All political advertisements need to be precertified before they are posted on social media sites and the candidates are mandated to disclose the expenditure incurred by them in using these sites for campaigning. He said the Media certification and Monitoring Committees – MCMCs set up at district levels function round the clock to keep a check on paid news.

These committees will be operational in the state for first time in the ensuing elections, he said.

Referring to election campaign onĀ  television channels and newspapers owned by political parties, he made it clear that these channels are mandated to give election news in line with election code.


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