NEW DELHI, Aug 28: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued a show cause notice to the BJP in poll-bound Haryana taking serious note of a post on X on the party handle which featured a child in an election campaign video.
This violated the ECI guidelines that prohibit the use of children in election-related activities and campaigning, the poll body said in its show-cause notice.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Haryana has issued the notice to the state president of BJP Haryana, demanding immediate corrective action. The party has been instructed to submit a response by 6pm on Thursday.
The EC in February had said it would ensure zero-tolerance on use of children in election-linked work and campaign activities.
Under the EC’s rules, District Election Officers and Returning Officers will have to take personal responsibility for ensuring compliance with all relevant acts and laws pertaining to child labour. “Any violation of these provisions by the election machinery under their jurisdiction will result in severe disciplinary action,” the EC had said in a press note on February 5.
The EC’s rules, however, say the mere presence of a child accompanied by their parent or guardian in proximity of a political leader and who is not involved in any election campaigning activity by the political party, will not be construed as a violation of the guidelines.
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal has said several teams are closely monitoring social media platforms ahead of the October 1 assembly election in the state. Mr Agarwal said expenses for ads circulated via social media would be added to the accounts of the candidates or parties.
He said several team have been formed to keep a close watch on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp groups, and X. “Any news published or broadcasted must remain impartial. The media should refrain from publishing or airing content that favours or opposes any religion, caste, or community,” he said in a statement.
The chief electoral officer said prior approval from the media certification and monitoring committee was necessary before any advertisement was published in newspapers or TV channels. Similarly, administrative approval was required for posting ads on social media, he said.
“The media is the fourth pillar of democracy and plays a crucial role in ensuring that elections are conducted fairly and peacefully,” he said. “The media’s duty is not just to report news, but also to contribute to maintaining harmony in society. The media has always played a positive role in society,” Mr Agarwal said.
(Manas Dasgupta)