Maharashtra's Social Media Scrutiny: A Pre-Election Cleanup

The Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra issued notices to social media platforms to remove 1,752 fake news posts to prevent voter confusion. Many of these posts have been deleted. Complaints of election code violations were addressed, with significant material seizures reported.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra has taken a firm stand against fake news by issuing notices to several social media platforms to remove 1,752 misleading posts aimed at confusing voters.

In response to these notices, more than 300 posts have already been deleted. The action was initiated under section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, granting authorities power to eliminate content that may contribute to illegal activities.

As the state prepares for assembly elections on November 20, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X face scrutiny, having deleted numerous objectionable posts. Meanwhile, the Election Commission's c-VIGIL app has processed 420 complaints of election code violations. Authorities have also seized material valued at Rs 10.64 crore, ranging from cash and drugs to liquor and freebies.

(With inputs from agencies.)