ECI urges media officers to counter misinformation, strengthen public trust in electoral process

The Election Commission of India on Friday organised its second one-day conference for Media and Communication Officers, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi calling for proactive efforts to counter misinformation, deepfakes and false narratives while strengthening public confidence in the country’s electoral process.

The conference brought together more than 260 Media Nodal Officers (MNOs), Social Media Nodal Officers (SMNOs), District Media Nodal Officers, District Public Relations Officers (DPROs) from 16 participating States and Union Territories, along with senior officials from the respective State Departments of Public Relations.

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Addressing the participants, CEC Gyanesh Kumar stressed that every action taken by the Election Commission is firmly rooted in the Constitution, electoral laws and written instructions issued from time to time.

“Each and every action of the Commission is based on the Constitution of India, Electoral Laws and written instructions issued from time to time in a transparent manner,” Kumar said.

Warning officials about the growing challenge of misinformation on digital platforms, he said they must remain vigilant and respond proactively to prevent false narratives from gaining traction.

“Cautioning the officials regarding false narratives propagated on social media, CEC Gyanesh Kumar said the officials need to engage proactively to prevent the spread of misinformation,” the Commission said in a statement.

Kumar also cited the high voter participation witnessed in recent Assembly elections as evidence of citizens’ faith in India’s electoral system.
“The highest ever voter turnouts in the recent Assembly Elections are a proof of the trust that the Indian electors have in the country’s electoral system,” he said.

Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi highlighted the emerging challenges posed by artificial intelligence and manipulated digital content, saying motivated actors were increasingly using such tools to undermine public trust in institutions.

“In today’s digital world, AI, deepfakes, synthetic content with an intent to mislead and even mischievous content are spread by motivated actors to erode trust in institutions,” Joshi said.

He urged Media and Communication Officers to respond to such attempts in accordance with the Commission’s rules, instructions and guidelines. Joshi also emphasised the need to connect with young voters through Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs) to promote greater electoral awareness and participation.

The conference featured sessions covering communication strategies throughout the election cycle, including electoral roll management, polling, the ECINET platform, constitutional provisions and media-related laws.

Participants also received practical training on drafting press notes, amplifying official communication through traditional and social media, countering misinformation, engaging young electors and effectively communicating ECI initiatives to the public.

As part of the programme, participants attended demonstrations on the preparation of electoral rolls, polling procedures and counting processes, followed by a guided walkthrough of the Election Commission’s exhibition and media corner.

The event also provided a platform for officials from states that recently held Assembly elections to share their experiences and best practices. It concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session between participants and the Election Commission leadership.

The Election Commission has been increasing its engagement with media and communication officers in recent years to improve public outreach, enhance transparency and ensure the timely dissemination of accurate information amid the growing influence of digital and social media on electoral discourse.