Failure of a candidate to supply info of social media account inside the election affidavit can’t be dealt with as a floor for rejection of nomination papers, the Election fee has dominated.
Responding to queries from chief electoral officials, the commission has said, “…non-furnishing of facts approximately social media account in form 26 shall not be treated as a ground for considering the affidavit in shape 26 as incomplete or to reject the nomination paper.”
It said in case a candidate fails to supply such element, he should no longer be asked to document a sparkling affidavit but ought to be directed to provide the info on a undeniable paper.
The poll panel had issued similar instructions when the Delhi CEO had sought a explanation on this regard in October 2013. It had then additionally said that if a candidate does no longer have an electronic mail identity, then he need to fill ‘nil’ or ‘NA’ inside the space supplied to present such statistics.
The fee, in a current practise, has requested the CEOs to bring its clarification to returning officials of states wherein Rajya Sabha elections are being held.
In September 2013, the EC had ordered that knowing about a candidate is the voter’s herbal proper in a democracy, and non-disclosure of records with the aid of a contestant in his or her affidavit, leaving the relevant columns clean, will result in rejection of the nomination papers.