The Central Election Commission has issued guidelines to all political parties over using Social media for their parties’ election campaigning. Political parties and their candidates will have to provide an account for the money spent for election campaigning on blogs, websites, social network sites like Twitter, Face Book etc. and other forums like YouTube and virtual game worlds etc.

The EC issuing these guidelines asked the political parties to get their Advertisements certified by it before going to social media, in other words EC wants to play Censor Board role in this regard. EC asks the political parties and their leaders to furnish the full details of their accounts related to party campaigning on these social media.

The parties or their candidates have to submit an affidavit stating the details of their social networking accounts and email IDs. It also categorically stated that all the legal provisions relating to election campaigning apply to social media also the way they have been applied to any other form of election campaigning using any other media.

Also all the provisions of election code of conduct will apply to the content being posted on the Internet, including social media websites, by candidates and political parties.

“No political advertisements are to be released on any internet-based media/websites, including social media websites, by political parties/candidates without pre-certification by competent authorities in the same format,” orders the commission.

EC said it is discussing with the government about the content posted by people or entities other than the candidates and their parties.