The EC had received several complaints that such messages highlighting the government’s initiatives are still being delivered on citizens’ phones despite the announcement of the General Elections 2024 and the MCC entering into force.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to immediately halt delivery of ‘Viksit Bharat’ messaging over WhatsApp. It has also sought a compliance report immediately from the ministry.
The EC had received several complaints that such messages highlighting the government’s initiatives are 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 move is a part of a series of decisions taken by the commission to ensure a level-playing field in the Lok Sabha elections.
Earlier today, the EC transferred district police chiefs in Assam and Punjab, who are kin of prominent politicians, and shunted out “non-cadre” district magistrates and superintendents of police in some states.
The poll body said the non-cadre district magistrates (DMs) and superintendent of police (SPs) have been shunted out as the posts are meant for IAS and IPS officers.
The EC said it has adopted a tough stance against the posting of non-cadre officers at leadership positions by transferring eight non-encadred SPs/SSPs and five non-encadred DMs in Punjab, Odisha, Gujarat, and West Bengal.
Wherever relatives of prominent politicians were holding charge as DM or SP, have also been transferred, it said, adding SSP Bathinda (Punjab) and SP Sonitpur (Assam) have been transferred.
The EC said the officials in these two districts have been transferred as a “pre-emptive measure” to dispel any apprehensions of administration being biased or perceived to be compromised.
