New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a stern directive to the Jharkhand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ordering the immediate removal of a social media post deemed violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The order, a direct response to a complaint filed by the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and its Congress ally, accuses the BJP of disseminating a “communal, malicious, and misleading” video on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
The poll body has asked the party to explain the reason for the alleged “violation of provisions of MCC (Model Code of Conduct) on account of their referred social media posts” during the poll campaign.
The offending post, accompanied by the caption “Poore Jharkhand ka kaya palat denge” (We will change the face of Jharkhand), has been flagged by the ECI for its allegedly inflammatory content. The Commission’s order directs the Jharkhand Electoral Officer to take prompt action under existing laws and procedures to have the posts removed from both social media platforms, utilizing the designated authority under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act.
“On perusal of the complaint, it appears that the above referred social media post is prima facie violative of the MCC. It is therefore, directed to take immediate action as per existing laws and procedures and thereafter direct the concerned social media platforms, through the authority designated in the State of Jharkhand under section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act to take down the referred posts immediately,” the order to the state’s Electoral officer read.
The decision by the ECI comes amid the heightened scrutiny of political campaigning in the lead-up to the Jharkhand Assembly elections. The JMM-Congress coalition, seeking a second term in office, is emphasising its welfare schemes, particularly the Maiyan Samman Yojana, as a key campaign plank. Conversely, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is focusing its campaign on combating corruption and infiltration, citing Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s recent arrest in a corruption case as evidence of the ruling coalition’s shortcomings.
The BJP’s campaign promises include addressing infiltration, implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), introducing a Rs 2,100 monthly allowance for women, and creating 500,000 employment opportunities for the youth.
The first phase of the Jharkhand elections, encompassing 43 of the 81 assembly seats, has already concluded. The second phase is scheduled for November 20th, with vote counting set for November 23rd.
