The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to immediately halt delivery of “Viksit Bharat Sampark” messaging over WhatsApp.
A compliance report in the matter has been demanded immediately from MeitY.
Explained |What is Model Code of Conduct, and what are the penalties for violation?
Sources in the ECI said that several complaints had been received that such messages highlighting the government’s initiatives were still being delivered on citizens’ phones despite the announcement of the General Elections 2024 and the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) entering into force.
In response, MeitY had informed the commission that although the letters were sent out before MCC came into force, some of them could have possibly been delivered to recipients with a delay because of systemic and network limitations, the sources told The Hindu.
Even after the schedule for the general elections had been announced on March 16, several people in India — and some abroad — received messages over the weekend through Monday from “Viksit Bharat Sampark,” a series of verified WhatsApp Business accounts with different phone numbers, with a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The letter from Mr. Modi lists several government schemes, sought ideas and suggestions from the public, and thanked them for their “support” on issues like “GST, abrogation of Article 370, new law on Triple Talaq, Nari Shakti Vandan Act to enhance women’s participation in the Parliament, the inauguration of a new Parliament building and strong steps against terrorism and Left-Wing extremism”.
Complaints had been made by many Opposition parties claiming that the message amounted to a violation of the MCC. The Trinamool Congress and the Congress were among those who filed complaints with the ECI.
The Chief Election Commissioner in Chandigarh, upon receiving a complaint of the MCC violation, had also referred the matter to the ECI.
