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NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has written to Twitter and Facebook drawing their attention to appeals made on their platforms by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and BJP asking voters to cast ballot in favour of their respective parties. EC reportedly cited Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, which bars parties and candidates from campaigning during the 48-hour silence period prior to polling.

"The tweets could be taken out by the company," a senior functionary was quoted by PTI as saying.

Interestingly, EC chose to write to Twitter and Facebook rather than to the two parties, urging the social media companies to ensure that election law is not violated. However, the commission’s director general (communication), Dhirendra Ojha, told reporters here that the letter "has not been written against the backdrop" of the tweets.

Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act (R P Act) prohibits display of any election matter by means of television or similar apparatus, during the period of 48 hours before the hour fixed for conclusion of polls. EC officials maintain that the silence period should cover social media as well, even though it is still to formulate guidelines in this behalf.

Nevertheless, EC, in its consultations with the social media companies including Twitter and Facebook, is said to have been assured by the latter that they would observe the ‘silence period’ mandated under Section 126 of R P Act.

A Congress slogan urging people to vote for the party was appended below the two tweets of Gandhi.

BJP Madhya Pradesh also retweeted a tweet by a spokesperson urging people of MP to vote for the party.

