A formal complaint has been submitted to the Election Commission of India (EC) seeking action against Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Vijay, over an alleged attempt to carry out an online political campaign and for the removal of related content from social media platforms.
The complaint was filed on Wednesday by Chennai residents L Devasagayam and P Adikesavan, who urged Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik to invoke appropriate legal provisions to safeguard electoral secrecy and prevent unlawful activities during the polling scheduled for April 23.
In their separate representations, the complainants alleged that TVK was planning a large-scale digital campaign on April 22, during the ‘silent period’ mandated by the Election Commission, when canvassing is prohibited.
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They claimed that the party intended to secretly record votes cast in its favour and circulate such videos on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and X. According to the complaint, the aim of this exercise would be to create an impression of widespread public support, influence voters and amplify the narrative through coordinated online efforts, including the use of bot networks.
The complainants argued that such actions would pose a direct threat to the secrecy of the ballot, which is a cornerstone of free and fair elections.
Adikesavan further alleged that similar unlawful videos of voting were covertly recorded and shared on social media during the Puducherry Legislative Assembly elections, raising concerns about a repeated pattern. He warned that replicating such practices in Tamil Nadu, which has a significantly larger electorate, could seriously undermine the credibility of the electoral process and cause lasting damage to voter confidentiality.
He also pointed out that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X qualify as ‘significant social media intermediaries’ under Rule 2(1)(v) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. As such, they are obligated to ensure compliance with legal standards and prevent misuse.
The complainants have urged the Election Commission to direct the Cyber Crime Wing of the police to monitor major social media platforms in real time on polling day and to promptly remove any content that violates election norms. They have also called for strict action against TVK if the allegations are found to be true.
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