Candidates must provide social media details: Election commission

Candidates in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections are for the first time required to provide details of their social media accounts to the election commission, which wants to monitor this medium for the content as well as the expenses that may be incurred.

Election commission officials said it is mandatory for candidates to give information about their email, Facebook, Twitter and any other social media tools in their nomination forms.

"Any advertisements on social media incurred by the candidate will have to be accounted for in their election expenses. This is why we have made it mandatory for candidates to declare their accounts in their affidavits," said Nitin Gadre, chief electoral officer, Maharashtra.

However, officials admit that it would be difficult to monitor platforms like WhatsApp, BlackBerry Messenger or Telegram. "If someone sends hundreds of messages using these services, how is one to keep a track of them? Besides, this does not cost anything," said an official. The rule is applicable only to candidates and political parties.