The Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to cease sending ‘Viksit Bharat’ messages on WhatsApp without delay, citing the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) due to the announcement of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Additionally, the ECI has requested the Ministry to provide a report confirming compliance with this directive.

The Commission stated that it had received numerous complaints regarding the continued delivery of messages under the “Viksit Bharat Sampark” initiative, aimed at promoting the Central government’s initiatives, to citizens’ phones, despite the announcement of the elections and the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

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In reply, MeitY informed the election body that while the messages were dispatched prior to the enactment of the MCC, there could have been delays in their delivery to recipients due to inherent limitations within the system and network infrastructure.

The Election Commission mentioned that this action is one among a series of decisions aimed at maintaining a fair electoral environment for the upcoming national elections. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was implemented subsequent to the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule by the poll body.

As per the ECI’s declaration on March 16, the elections are scheduled to take place from April 19 to June 1, spanning seven phases, with the results set to be declared on June 4.

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