Lok Sabha election date to be announced after March 13; Election Commission to use AI services

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha election dates may be announced after March 13. The Election Commission has decided to visit multiple states to assess the preparations for the general elections. Commission sources said the election dates will be announced once this is completed.

The commission aims to complete the state visit before March 13. Meetings were held with the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all the states. The commission said it will take necessary steps after assessing the problem areas, movement of EVMs, requirement of security forces and tightening of vigilance at the borders.

The officials added that the Election Commission is planning to use artificial intelligence to make elections more smooth this year. AI will be used to flag and remove false information on social media and digital platforms.

Official sources added that the removal of false and inflammatory content on social media during elections will be swift and the commission is ready to take strict action such as asking social media platforms to suspend or block accounts if any party or candidate continues to violate the rules. Fact-checking, action against false information and ensuring high security in sensitive areas are also being considered by the commission. According to the Election Commission data, 96.88 crore people are eligible to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Also, 1.85 crore new voters in the age group of 18-19 are also registering their consent this time.