Chandigarh, Aug 24 (PTI) Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal on Saturday said several teams are closely monitoring social media platforms ahead of the October 1 assembly election in the state.

Agarwal also said that expenses for ads circulated via social media will be added to the accounts of the candidates or parties.

Also Read | 'BJP Sought To Break Me but I Came out of Tihar Jail Smiling': Manish Sisodia Accuses Bharatiya Janata Party of Conspiracy, Says 'Arvind Kejriwal Is Doing Penance in Jail for the People of Delhi' During Burari Footmarch.

He said several team have been formed to keep a close watch on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp groups, and X.

Agarwal said that the MCC applies equally to all forms of media, including newspapers, television, radio, and social media.

Also Read | Centre Gives Nod to BioE3 Policy: Scheme To Boost Biotech Manufacturing, Green Economy Gets Approval; Will Create More Jobs.

"Any news published or broadcasted must remain impartial. The media should refrain from publishing or airing content that favours or opposes any religion, caste, or community," he said in a statement.

The CEO said that a prior approval from the 'Media certification & Monitoring committee' is necessary before any advertisement is published in newspapers or TV channels. Similarly, administrative approval is required for posting ads on social media, he said.

"The media is the fourth pillar of democracy and plays a crucial role in ensuring that elections are conducted fairly and peacefully," he said.

"The media's duty is not just to report news, but also to contribute to maintaining harmony in society. The media has always played a positive role in society.

"To ensure the transparent conduct of the Lok Sabha elections, all those connected with newspapers, news channels, and other social media platforms are urged not to promote any misleading material that could violate the Model Code of Conduct," he added.

Agarwal also said that any political party planning to hold a rally or roadshow must obtain permission from the district administration and must ensure that the gathering does not cause traffic jams.

Use of loudspeakers will not be allowed between 10 pm and 6 am, he said.

Till MCC remains in force, political parties are not allowed to use any government rest house for political meetings, gatherings, or events, he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)