Bombay HC raps EC over social media ads

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday rapped the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its failure to come up with any orders regulating political advertisements on social media 48 hours before polling day. 

A bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice N M Jamdar asked the ECI why it was hesitant to pass regulatory or prohibitory orders on such ads. 

While ECI counsel Pradeep Rajagopal denied there was any apprehension on its part, the court said the ECI's conduct through the hearings made it apparent that it was ‘hesitant’ to bring about such regulation. 

The bench reserved its orders on the matter and said it will pass appropriate orders. The bench is hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer Sagar Suryavanshi seeking



directions to the ECI to regulate fake news in the form of paid political ads on social media.

The PIL also sought that just as campaigning and political ads, hoardings etc are prohibited on the ground 48 hours before polling day, a similar "black out" be enforced for social media platforms.

During a previous hearing, social networking site Facebook had told the court that it had introduced a strict "verification processes" for all political ads and paid content of "national interest" on its website in India ahead of the 2019 general elections. 

Facebook had said the new system ensures that only bonafide individuals, who are citizens of India, and political organisations based in the country can place political ads.