ECI issues take-down orders to X on certain posts of YSRCP, TDP for violation of MCC

AMARAVATI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered social media platform X to take down select posts of YSR Congress and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu for violation of the model code of conduct (MCC).

According to the microblogging site, the ECI sent the orders on April 2 and April 3 and a follow-up email on April 10. The EC cited a violation of the "voluntary code of ethics" if 'X' failed to remove the four posts reported to it by the aggrieved parties.

The ECI issued takedown orders on posts containing political speech shared by elected politicians, political parties, and candidates for office.

The poll panel found that the posts violated the model code of conduct that barred criticising political parties based on any aspects of the private life of leaders or workers of other parties that were not connected with public activities or based on unverified allegations or distorted facts.

"In compliance with the orders, we have withheld these posts for the remainder of the election period. However, we disagree with these actions and maintain that freedom of expression should extend to these posts and political speech in general. We have notified the affected users and in the interest of transparency, we are publishing the takedown orders here. We call on the Election Commission to publish all of its takedown orders going forward,” the X said in a statement.