Elections 2019: Experts to keep an eye on candidates’ social media

As candidates file nominations from today, EC appoints specialists, since campaigning will mainly be online

As the election for the 17th Lok Sabha will see heavy campaigning online, the Election Commission (EC) has appointed social media experts at district level to monitor the candidates. A team of them will mainly keep tabs on candidate's social media. According to sources, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram among others, have agreed to cooperate with the EC to keep an eye on the campaigning through their platforms. The EC had reconstituted its Media Certification and Monitoring Committee on February 25 to ensure that social media experts are included in this election.

Issue of cost

The EC will now finalise a rate card for the candidates, to fix their social media content management and writing rates, and how much they can spend. This has to be included in their expenses list during the election process. Several media agencies that provide social media support, and their charges, will be considered while finalising the rates, said sources. Candidates will have to disclose their social media handles to the returning officers while filing their nominations. Every Lok Sabha candidate is allowed to spend only R70 lakh on her/his campaign. Every candidate, once he or she files nomination, will be on the radar of the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee. The EC will also keep tabs on violations of the Model Code of Conduct. However, there will be no restrictions on party workers. "The instructions are to only keep watch on candidate's profiles. If there are complaints of violations from citizens, only then will accounts of party workers on social media will be scrutinised," said officials.

Complaining to EC
Sachin Kurve, Suburban Mumbai Collector, said, "The nomination process will start tomorrow (Tuesday) and as per EC guidelines, a social media expert will keep watch on social media campaigning and candidates' expenses will be monitored. We have a social media war room where they will monitor 24X7 all the complaints and campaigns. Along with this, ECI has also launched a cVigil mobile application, where citizens can complain and it will be directed to the concerned returning and district level officials."

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Gudi Padwa is a holiday
The candidates' demand for allowing nominations to be filed on Saturday, April 6, has been denied by the Election Commission, as it is a government holiday. Several political parties and their candidates had approached the EC to allow their nominations to be filed on the auspicious occasion of Gudi Padwa, but when asked, Sachin Kurve, Suburban Mumbai Collector said, nominations can be filed from April 2 to April 9, excluding public holidays and Sundays, and there is no exception for Gudi Padwa.

Figuring out the polls

With the nomination process starting today, there are four Parliamentary constituencies that fall under the purview of Mumbai suburban district collector - North East, North West, North Central and North Mumbai
A total of about 60,000 polling personnel are being trained and are working with the election department to ensure smooth election process across 7,472 polling stations in the suburbs

Also Read: Election 2019: Children roped-in to convince parents to vote in LS polls

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