Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik on Friday warned that misleading or unlawful AI-generated political content, including deepfakes, will be taken down within three hours of detection or reporting.

The directive comes in line with guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India to tackle emerging risks from synthetic media during elections.

Mandatory disclosure for AI content

The CEO emphasised that all AI-generated or digitally altered political material must carry clear labels such as “AI-generated,” “Digitally Enhanced,” or “Synthetic Content.” These disclosures must cover at least 10% of the visual frame or the initial duration in audio content.

Additionally, the creator or responsible entity behind such content must be explicitly identified. Any material that misrepresents a person’s identity, voice, or appearance without consent—and is likely to mislead voters—has been strictly prohibited.

Pre-certification required

All political parties, candidates, and individuals planning to release political advertisements on electronic or social media platforms must obtain prior clearance from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC).

Recognised parties/candidates: apply at least 3 days in advance

Unrecognised parties/others: apply at least 7 days in advance

Applications to be processed within 48 hours

Appeals against MCMC decisions can be made to the State-Level Appellate Committee and subsequently to the Election Commission.

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Tackling voter apathy

In a parallel initiative to boost urban voter participation, authorities have set up polling stations within high-rise residential complexes and group housing societies. A total of 14 such polling booths have been established during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026.

The measures aim to ensure transparency in political messaging while adapting to the growing influence of artificial intelligence in election campaigns.