Poll code violation: Five get notice in Faridkot

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, April 23

The District Electorate Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Faridkot, on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to candidates of five political parties — the Congress, SAD (B), Punjab Ekta Party, Apna Samaj Party and Rashtriya Janshakti Party (Secular).

The notices have been served for violating the election code of conduct by using social media platforms for giving advertisements relating to election campaigning.

Kumar Saurav Raj, Deputy Commissioner, Faridkot, said the notices had been issued for posting political advertisements on social media.

He said the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) was closely monitoring the social media platforms for any objectionable content and advertisement which were to be pre-certified by the poll panel.

Political advertisements posted on social media sites by candidates or parties would be included in the election expenditure, he said.

The MCMC is in place at the district level. One social media expert is part of this committee. All political advertisements, proposed to be issued on the social media, would require pre-certification from the MCMC, said the Deputy Commissioner.

All provisions of the election model code of conduct apply to the content being posted on social media by candidates and political parties, he said. All candidates in the fray were required to furnish details of their social media accounts at the time of filing nominations.

Besides keeping a tab on the expenditure of the candidates, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google, WhatsApp and Share Chat are under the stringent vigil of the MCMC for any content that could vitiate the electoral process or disturb peace, tranquillity, social harmony and public order, said Kumar Saurav Raj.

These were the measures aimed at ensuring free and fair election. Candidates would have to include online and social media election expenditure in their expenditure disclosures, he said.