New Delhi:
Ruling that the election code of conduct includes the social media, the Election Commission today said it will monitor the online behavior of the candidates in fray in the five states that vote in November and December.
The candidates have also been asked to submit affidavits revealing their social media IDs. The directive includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Wikipedia.
Social media platforms have become a mainstay of the electoral process in the digital age, with mainstream parties pursuing an active online presence.
The poll panel directive also says the political parties must take its approval before releasing their advertisements on such sites, with its expenses being a part of their poll expenditure records.
The Election Commission said its regulations also cover apps, like games designed around a particular politician.
The directions come shortly after the principal rivals, the Congress and the BJP, announced plans to crowd-source their poll manifestos through an aggressive social media push.