Election Commission: Online, mainstream media no different

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, January 17

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Karuna Raju today said social media was no different from the mainstream media and pre-certification was required to run an online political campaign.

“Same rules will apply to any political campaign on social media,” he said on the requirement of a pre-certification of the social media campaign content from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC).

To a query on the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), the CEO said his office had demanded 1,050 companies of the CAPF from the Election Commission (EC). “In all, 50 companies of the CAPF have already been deployed.”

On postponing the elections, the EC in a statement said, “After considering the new facts emerging out of these representations, inputs from the state government and Chief Electoral Officer, past precedence and all facts and circumstances, the EC has decided to reschedule the elections to the Punjab Assembly.”

Raju said that of the total 3.9 lakh licensed weapons in the state, more than 3.3 lakh had been deposited to date.

“Enforcement teams seized valuables worth Rs 42.94 crore in violation of the model code of conduct till January 16. They have seized 5.44 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 1.54 crore, psychotropic substances amounting to Rs 40.82 crore unaccounted cash worth Rs 16 lakh,” added the CEO.

1,076 highly vulnerable hamlets

2,250 persons identified as troublemakers

979 face preventive action

2,103 non-bailable warrants executed