The Election Commission of India has issued a directive to all national and state political parties regarding the ongoing General Elections 2024, urging them to immediately halt any activities involving the registration of individuals for post-election beneficiary-oriented schemes through advertisements, surveys, or apps.
According to the Commission, encouraging individual voters to register for post-election benefits could create the perception of a transactional relationship between the voter and the promised benefit. This, in turn, may lead to inducement and compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
While the Commission recognizes that making generic electoral promises is permissible, it expressed concern that such activities blur the line between genuine surveys and biased attempts to enroll people in programs for political gain. These efforts may appear as legitimate survey activities or informational campaigns about government programs or party agendas related to individual benefits. In response to this issue, the Commission has instructed all District Election Officers to take appropriate actions against any such advertisements, in accordance with statutory provisions.
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