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ECI Mandates Pre-Certification for All Political Ads on Social, Electronic Media

The Election Commission of India has mandated that all political advertisements on electronic and social media must receive pre-certification from Media Certification and Monitoring Committees before publication. This directive applies to the upcoming assembly elections in five states and bye-elections in six others. Candidates must now disclose their authentic social media accounts in their nomination affidavits, and parties must submit detailed expenditure statements, including all digital campaign costs. The move aims to enforce transparency and combat misinformation and paid news during the election period.

Key Points: ECI Mandates Pre-Certification for Political Ads Before Polls

  • Pre-certification required for all political ads
  • Disclosure of social media accounts in affidavits
  • Comprehensive expenditure statements mandated
  • Enhanced monitoring for paid news and fake news
2 min read

ECI mandates pre-certification of political ads on social, electronic media ahead of elections

Election Commission mandates pre-clearance for political ads on TV, radio, and social media for upcoming state elections to curb misinformation.

"no political advertisement shall be released... without prior clearance from the relevant MCMC - ECI Press Release"

New Delhi, March 20

The Election Commission of India on Friday directed all political parties and candidates to get pre-certification for political advertisements from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee before release on electronic or social media platforms for the upcoming elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and bye-elections in six states.

According to an ECI press release, under the new directive, no political advertisement shall be released on electronic media -- including television, radio, AV displays at public places, e-papers, bulk SMS/voice messages or on internet-based media and social media platforms without prior clearance from the relevant MCMC.

Registered political parties with headquarters in a State/UT are required to apply to the State-Level MCMC for certification, while individuals and contesting candidates must submit applications to the District MCMC within specified timelines. An Appellate Committee, headed by the CEO at the State level, has also been constituted to hear appeals against MCMC decisions.

The ECI has also emphasised strict monitoring by MCMCs on suspected paid news cases in the media and directed suitable action where necessary. In addition, candidates are now required to disclose details of their authentic social media accounts in their nomination affidavits, the Commission said.

Citing Section 77(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and directions of the Supreme Court of India, the ECI further stated that political parties must submit comprehensive expenditure statements to the Commission within 75 days of the completion of assembly elections. Such statements must include all campaign expenses on the internet and social media, including payments to internet companies and websites for advertisements, content development and operational costs for maintaining social media accounts.

To ensure robust enforcement of these provisions and to combat misinformation, disinformation and fake news during the election period, a meeting was held on 19 March 2026 with CEOs, State Police Nodal Officers, State IT Nodal Officers from all poll-bound States/UTs and representatives of Social Media Platforms (SMPs).

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Finally! Social media has become a wild west of political propaganda. Mandatory disclosure of accounts in affidavits is a masterstroke. Now we can see who is behind those anonymous hate-spewing handles. 👏
A
Aman W
Good intention, but implementation is key. Will the committees at state and district levels have the technical expertise to judge social media ads? And what about the timeline? If clearance takes too long, it defeats the purpose of digital campaigning.
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows Indian politics closely, this seems like a necessary move for transparency. The inclusion of bulk SMS and voice messages is important too, as those are often used for last-minute misleading campaigns. The success will depend on how strictly it's enforced.
V
Vikram M
Accountability for paid news is the need of the hour. Many news portals act as PR wings during elections. Hope the monitoring is rigorous and action is taken without fear or favour. Jai Hind!
K
Kriti O
A step in the right direction, but what about the "influencers" and celebrities who are paid to post political content? That's also a form of advertisement. Will that be covered under this? The rules need to evolve with the tactics.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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