Former UP DGP asks EC to rein in IT cells of political parties

Singh also requested the EC to obtain all details of the parties’ IT cells “to stop undue influence in the Assembly Elections” and “direct for non-usage of official social media accounts of Ministers in State Govts and Central Govt who are engaged in campaigning during Assembly Elections”.

Election Commission, illegal social media cell, social media political parties, Delhi assembly election, bjp it cell, political it cell, election news, indian express

Vikram Singh, who was UP DGP between 2007 and 2009, is now Pro Chancellor of Noida International University.

Former DGP of Uttar Pradesh Vikram Singh has sent a representation to the Election Commission, asking the poll panel to rein in “illegal” social media use by political parties in the run-up to the Delhi election by conducting a “search and seizure against all IT Cells which are not intimated to the Election Commission”.

In the representation sent on Tuesday, Singh also requested the EC to obtain all details of the parties’ IT cells “to stop undue influence in the Assembly Elections” and “direct for non-usage of official social media accounts of Ministers in State Govts and Central Govt who are engaged in campaigning during Assembly Elections”.

“Election Commission is keeping close watch on conventional manner of campaigning but there is little check on IT cells of the political parties … These IT cells are manufacturing divisive, vulgar and disparaging content, which is circulated through WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms … Crores of rupees are being spent on IT cells, yet little or no expenditure is actually reported to the commission by the candidates or the parties,” the representation states.

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Singh, who was UP DGP between 2007 and 2009, is now Pro Chancellor of Noida International University.

“This is now the age of fake news, leading to a situation of violence, rioting and uncertainty. Such situations can be controlled by the Election Commission,” he told The Indian Express. “As a citizen, you and I have a duty to remind them,” he added.

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