Code violations on social media tracked by EC volunteers

Bengaluru: To ensure politicians do not violate the model of conduct on social media, the Election Commission of India is keeping a close watch. The poll panel has recruited volunteers from the civil society including citizens who care for the democratic process and keep a vigil on the virtual space. They ensure that the campaign for the May 12^th elections complies with the code.

“As of now, we have about 10-15 students in Bengaluru working with us. Members of the civil society who care about the elections are also volunteering. At the district level, deputy commissioners are also involved,” said Joint Chief Electoral Officer Surya Sen A V.

All recruited volunteers have undergone a thorough background check by the commission to ensure they are neutral and persons of integrity. A half-day programme is given to the chosen volunteers.

“We are looking out for everything from coupons and promo codes to bitcoins. We also look out for hate speech and messages,” Sen added. A recent incident of helmet-distribution as part of campaigning in Mahadevapura was discovered through messages on WhatsApp, which he described as the most difficult platform to track.

Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and other communication channels are being scoured and daily reports are submitted to the complaints monitoring cell for action. Use of social media has now become a crucial part of the campaign due to its increased use.