The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought a report from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra over allegations that it appointed a firm linked to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office-bearer to handle its social media accounts in the run-up to the 2019 Assembly polls.
Sheyphali Sharan, official spokesperson of the ECI, tweeted, “Regarding tweet of Mr Gokhale @SaketGokhale, Commission has sought detailed factual report in this matter from CEO Maharashtra with respect to alleged locale of the incidence immediately.”
In a series of tweets, Mr. Gokhale, a social activist from Maharashtra, levelled allegations of partisan behaviour by the office of the CEO, Maharashtra. He also alleged conflict of interest in awarding the social media contract to a BJP member, when the party was in power in the State.
Mr. Gokhale had tweeted, “Browsing through the old social media adverts of the Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra, something very strange stood out. The Chief Electoral Officer reports to the ECI. In each of the ads, the address seemed to be the same: “202 Pressman House, Vile Parle, Mumbai.”
“I decided to check who the address belongs to. It’s that of an advertising company called Signpost India which was a govt-empaneled agency under Fadnavis BJP govt. But wait - that’s not half the story. The address 202 Pressman House was also used by a digital agency called “Social Central”.
“This agency is owned by Devang Dave who is the national convener of IT & social media for BJP’s Youth Wing @BJYM. Guess who shows up on his client list on his website?” he continued.
Demanding a probe into the matter, State Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant tweeted: “We demand inquiry into this serious issue by independent panel. ECI is supposed to work independently. Here a company of national office bearer of BJP youth wing was instrumental in handling social media of CEO Maharashtra. What abt EC data? Why background was not checked?”
According to the allegations of Mr. Gokhale, Mr. Dave is also the founder of websites and pages like “The Fearless Indian”, and “I Support Narendra Modi”, and his agency lists the BJP as a client along with other government entities.
“Why was the social media of the Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra, being handled by a member of the BJP IT Cell? Is this conduct of @ECISVEEP in line with “independence” and “neutrality”? Is the BJP’s takeover of institutions is so open now? ECI MUST ANSWER!” he tweeted.
