NEW DELHI: The Election Commission is planning to announce the Lok Sabha poll dates after three weeks or rather anyday after March 13, when the officials complete the ongoing state visits to check the preparations. The commission is visiting multiple states to assess the poll preparations.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be used for smooth poll conduct this time, the Eection Commission sources said. Officials of the poll panel are currently visiting Tamil Nadu, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
EC to discuss requirement of CAPF for security
Based on its assessment of the poll preparations, the EC will discuss the requirement of the central armed police forces for the security for conduct of the polls.
The commission, over the past few months, has been holding regular meetings with Chief Electoral officers (CEOs) of all states to gauge the preparations. The CEOs have listed problem areas, movement of EVMs, their requirement of security forces, tightening vigilance on the borders, officials added.
For the first time, the EC is deploying the Artificial Intelligence technology for free and fair Lok Sabha polls that are supposed to be held before May. A dedicated division of Artificial Intelligence has been created within the commission to flag and remove false information on social media and digital platforms.
Removal of false content on social media will be swift
The removal of false and inflammatory content on social media during elections will be swift, and if any party or candidate continues to violate the rules, the commission is set to take stringent action, such as asking social media platforms to suspend accounts or block them, the official sources added.
According to the officials, the commission will also focus on fact-checking, combating misinformation, and ensuring heightened security in sensitive regions.
Election Commission data shows that as many as 96.88 crore people are eligible to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, making it the largest electorate in the world. As many as 1.85 crore people in the age group of 18-19 are registered to cast their votes for the first time, according to the poll body.
