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BJP Seal on EC Letter: Kerala Police Dial X, Facebook and Instagram; Users Receive Notices
Kerala Police cited IT laws and Model Code of Conduct to order removal of posts sharing a withdrawn Election Commission letter with BJP's seal, affecting over 560 social media accounts.
- On Tuesday, Kerala Police ordered social media platforms to remove posts sharing an Election Commission letter that mistakenly carried a Bharatiya Janata Party seal, following a directive from the election body.
- The Election Commission inadvertently distributed an erroneous document to political parties on March 21 containing a BJP seal from a 2019 directive, which the poll panel later admitted was a "purely clerical error."
- Police flagged 270 X handles, 200 Facebook pages, and 90 Instagram accounts for sharing the retracted notice under the 2000 Information Technology Act, alleging posts "blatantly insult" the Election Commission and "propagate content that undermines communal harmony."
- On Tuesday, the state's Chief Electoral Officer suspended an assistant section officer pending inquiry, while the Congress and the CPI criticized the police action and questioned whether institutional boundaries were being compromised.
- While Facebook and Instagram removed the content, X initially resisted the removal request; with the Model Code of Conduct in force ahead of Assembly polls, the incident reflects ongoing tensions regarding the commission's independence.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Times of India
The Economic TimesKerala police ask social media handles to takedown EC letter with BJP seal
Kerala Police has ordered social media platforms to remove posts featuring an Election Commission communication with a Bharatiya Janata Party seal. This content is deemed insulting to the poll body and a threat to communal harmony. The Election Commission had inadvertently attached the party's letter with its clarification.
Kerala Police orders social media platforms to remove posts carrying EC letter with BJP seal
The Kerala Police on Tuesday ordered social media platforms to remove posts, including those by journalists and members of Opposition parties, about a letter the Election Commission had issued.A row had erupted in the state on Monday when an Election Commission letter bearing the seal of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kerala unit was widely shared online. The seal was on a letter dated March 19, 2019, sent to political parties across the country d…
Kerala CM Vijayan slams EC over 'seal' row, calls it breach of neutrality
Kerala CM Vijayan slams EC over ‘seal’ row, calls it breach of neutrality Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday sharply criticised the Election Commission over the circulation of a document bearing the office seal of the party ruling at the Centre to other political parties, calling it a serious breach of neutrality. In […] The post Kerala CM Vijayan slams EC over ‘seal’ row, calls it breach of neutrality appeare…
Kerala Police Order Takedown of Misleading EC Letter With BJP Seal Amid Clerical Error Controversy
The Kerala Police have asked social media platforms and users to take down posts featuring a controversial letter attributed to the Election Commission of India that carried a seal resembling that of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The letter went viral during the Kerala assembly election period, raising concerns about misinformation and its potential impact on voters. Police described the posts as misleading and capable of disturbing public trust, …
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