Haryana: CEO directs strict watch on paid social media ads during polls

Haryana electoral officials will monitor social media for election expenses, including ads by candidates and parties. The ECI guidelines require accounting for social media ads in campaign costs. Monitoring teams will report any ads found, and the expenses will be added to the candidate's or party's account. Polling for Haryana's 10 LS seats will be held on May 25. Violations of the Model Code of Conduct on YouTube channels, such as communal content or support for candidates, will result in action under the IT Act. The ECI guidelines emphasize equality and impartiality in media coverage during elections.

Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Agarwal on Sunday directed teams under him to keep an eye on social media and ads being posted there by candidates or the political parties for expense accounting.

He said that the expenses for the social media ads will be added to the account of the concerned candidate or the party contesting the election.

About the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, Agarwal said that just like newspapers, television, and radio, election campaigning also takes place on social media platforms which needs money.

''Teams formed in the districts under the Election Commission's guidelines will closely monitor social media during the Lok Sabha general elections and ensure that any advertisements found are reported along with the expenditure details to the monitoring team.

''Based on the report, the cost of that advertisement will be added to the account of the concerned candidate or the party,'' he said, according to an official statement.

Polling for all 10 LS seats in Haryana will be held in the sixth phase of elections on May 25.

''If monitoring teams come across channels or videos supporting any candidate or political party, spreading communal content, or violating the Model Code of Conduct, in that case, action will be taken against the operator of the respective YouTube channel under the provisions of the IT Act,'' he said.

Agarwal said the Model Code of Conduct applies equally to everyone, and all media, including social media.

''According to the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, there should be equality across all media platforms during elections. News published or broadcast in the media should not favor any particular side or go against any side.

''Care should be taken to refrain from publishing or broadcasting any news that favors or opposes any religion, caste, or community,'' Agarwal said.

The CEO said all candidates and parties should be given equal space as he urged the media to play an impartial role during elections.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)