Election Commission Mandates Pre-Approval for Political Ads and Social Media Disclosures

The Election Commission has mandated pre-approval for all political advertisements by its media monitoring committees

The Election Commission of India has implemented a requirement that all political parties and candidates must obtain pre-certification for political advertisements on electronic and social media platforms prior to publication. This directive follows the October 6 announcement of the Bihar Assembly election schedule and by-elections for eight Assembly constituencies across six states and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Under the newly issued guidelines from the Election Commission, every registered national and state political party and election candidates must submit applications to the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee for approval before releasing any advertisements on television, radio, or digital platforms, including social media.

The electoral body has established media certification committees at both district and state levels to oversee the pre-certification process and monitor media content. These committees will also be responsible for identifying instances of paid news and implementing appropriate actions.

The commission has emphasized that political advertisements cannot be published on any internet-based media or websites without obtaining pre-certification from these designated committees.

Acknowledging the increasing influence of social media in elections, the Election Commission has further instructed candidates to disclose details of their official social media accounts when filing nomination papers.

In accordance with Section 77(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and following Supreme Court directives, political parties are required to submit comprehensive statements of campaign expenses, including costs related to social media and online advertisements, within 75 days after the conclusion of elections.

The commission has specified that expenditure reports must include payments made to internet companies, costs associated with content creation, and expenses for managing official social media accounts.