New Delhi : The Election Commission of India has once again underscored the need for all stakeholders to exercise responsibility and uphold ethical standards while using social media and digital platforms during elections. The Commission emphasized strict adherence to existing legal frameworks, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Information Technology Rules, 2021, and the Model Code of Conduct.
The ECI has directed social media platforms to take swift action against any misleading, unlawful, or AI-manipulated content within three hours of it being reported. It further mandated that political parties, candidates, and campaign teams must clearly label any AI-generated or digitally altered campaign material as “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced,” or “Synthetic Content,” along with proper disclosure of its source to ensure transparency and maintain voter confidence.
Amid the ongoing assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal, authorities are closely monitoring online content for violations of the Model Code of Conduct, potential law and order disruptions, and the spread of false narratives targeting the electoral process. State IT Nodal Officers designated under the IT Act are actively addressing such violations.
Since the announcement of elections on March 15, 2026, more than 11,000 social media posts and URLs have been identified and acted upon. Measures taken include content removal, filing of FIRs, issuing clarifications, and publishing rebuttals.
The Commission also reiterated provisions under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which prohibit the display of election-related content in polling areas during the 48-hour silence period before voting concludes. All media platforms—including television, radio, print, and social media—have been instructed to strictly comply with these rules.
Additionally, citizens, political parties, and candidates can report Model Code violations through the C-Vigil module available on ECINET. Between March 15 and April 19, a total of 3,23,099 complaints were registered via the app, of which 3,10,393—accounting for 96.01%—were resolved within the stipulated 100-minute timeframe.