Kerala Police Orders Removal of Social Media Posts Amid Election Controversy
Police Action on Social Media Posts
On Tuesday, the Kerala Police instructed social media platforms to eliminate posts related to a contentious letter issued by the Election Commission. This directive particularly targeted content shared by journalists and members of opposition parties.
The controversy ignited on Monday when a letter, dated March 19, 2019, and featuring the seal of the Bharatiya Janata Party's Kerala unit, circulated widely online. This letter outlined guidelines concerning the criminal backgrounds of candidates.
The Election Commission clarified that the letter was mistakenly circulated with the BJP seal due to a clerical error and confirmed that the document had been retracted.
In their notice, the police referenced sections of the Information Technology Act of 2000 and the IT rules of 2021, which empower them to mandate social media platforms to remove specific content.
As the Model Code of Conduct is currently in effect in the state ahead of the Assembly elections, the Kerala Police is in communication with the Election Commission.
The social media platform X notified users that it had been instructed by the police to remove posts that allegedly violated Indian law.
It remains uncertain how many of the flagged posts have been successfully removed.
An Instagram post was also blocked in India following a legal request from the authorities.
Have received notice from Kerala police for the tweet below. Kerala Police in the notice said the tweet insults the election commission of India and propagate content that undermines communal harmony. https://t.co/r1pFeSlYPq pic.twitter.com/dijkinMfvy
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) March 24, 2026
The police accused the posts of disrespecting the Election Commission and spreading divisive content.
According to the police notice, the continued sharing of the retracted letter is being used to propagate false claims, thereby compromising the integrity of the Election Commission.
The police warned social media platforms that they could be held accountable for failing to remove the content.
The 2019 letter, which detailed candidate norms regarding criminal backgrounds, was signed by an Election Commission official and bore the BJP's Kerala unit seal.
The CPI(M) criticized the situation, suggesting that seals are being carelessly exchanged and questioned the integrity of the BJP and the Kerala Chief Electoral Officer. The Congress and Trinamool Congress also voiced their concerns on social media.
Clarification from the Election Commission
The Election Commission explained that the error arose when the BJP's Kerala unit sought clarification on the 2019 guidelines regarding candidates' criminal backgrounds.
The party submitted a photocopy of the original directive, which included its seal. The Commission acknowledged that an oversight led to the document being mistakenly distributed to other political parties.
Once the mistake was identified, all political parties, district election officers, and returning officers were notified to disregard the erroneous document.
The Election Commission urged the public and media to avoid spreading misleading information stemming from this clerical error, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining a transparent electoral process.
On Tuesday, the Chief Electoral Officer of the state announced that an assistant section officer involved with the file had been suspended pending an investigation.