Candidates for the upcoming general election will not be allowed to campaign through social media, as Election Commission (EC) fears that campaigning through social media like facebook, twitter, youtube and blogs, may affect the polls negatively.
According to the latest draft proposal of electoral code of conduct, the candidates can run campaigns through electronic and print media but they cannot make any indecent and derogatory remarks against the opponents.
The concern was raised after the city corporation polls of five cities were held recently, where the authority noticed a smear campaign being carried on the social media by instigating people’s religious sentiments.
The EC is apprehensive that huge discrimination might be created among the candidates regarding publicity and promotion centering the upcoming polls, if the social media is not controlled.
Many of the candidates might try to run propagandas by using the social media during their pre-election campaign, the EC officials said.
To thwart such propagandas, the EC is preparing an electoral code of conduct. The proposal includes controlling of SMS through cell phones as well, as a tool used for campaigning ahead of polls.
Election Commissioner Md Shah Newaz said the EC took the move as some dishonest people were trying to provoke people on the social media by providing false information.
The EC has directed its concerned section to look for ways to control all kinds of propaganda run on social media during the upcoming parliamentary polls.
Deputy Secretary of the concerned section, preferring to be anonymous, said the tendency of negative campaigning and attacking each other through social media has increased to a great extent among the candidates. Taking these into consideration, the EC is thinking of amending the electoral code of conduct which will be completed soon.
