New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology (MeitY) to halt the delivery of ‘Viksit Bharat’ messages via WhatsApp with immediate effect, following complaints of government initiatives being highlighted despite the commencement of General Elections 2024 and the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The Commission addressed several grievances regarding the continued delivery of such messages to citizens’ phones despite the electoral regulations being in place.
“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,” ECI stated.
The Election Commission has demanded an immediate compliance report from MeitY regarding the matter.
This decision is part of a series of measures undertaken by the Election Commission to ensure a fair electoral process during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Earlier, as part of its commitment to maintaining a level playing field, the ECI issued transfer orders for non-cadre officers serving in leadership positions as District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) in four states: Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha, and West Bengal.
The posts of DM and SP in districts are typically reserved for officers from the Indian Administrative and Indian Police Service respectively.
The Commission emphasized that these actions underscore its dedication to fairness and integrity in the electoral process, sentiments reiterated by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
The decision follows a meeting chaired by CEC Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
On Monday, the ECI also issued orders for the removal of Home Secretaries in six states: Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
These measures reflect the Election Commission’s proactive approach in ensuring transparency, fairness, and impartiality in the conduct of General Elections 2024, upholding the principles of democracy and electoral integrity.
