Election campaign: EC bans AI misuse, social media abuse, posters, drones
NN ONLINE:
The Election Commission has finalised the Code of Conduct, imposing a ban on the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and social media, along with the use of posters, drones and quadcopters in election campaigns.
Besides, no pamphlets, leaflets, handbills, festoons or banners made from non-biodegradable materials such as rexine, polythene, plastic or any other material that is harmful to the environment shall be used in the campaign.
The Election Commission on Wednesday finalised the code of conduct for the political parties and candidates in the parliamentary election rule 2025, incorporating such provisions ahead of the next general election planned to be held in early February 2026.
According to the code of conduct, Artificial Intelligence (AI) cannot be used for malicious purposes in any election-related matter, including campaigning.
The name and account ID, e-mail ID and other identifying information of a candidate or his election agent or party related social media must be submitted to the Returning Officer before the commencement of the campaign.
As per the code, all types of harmful content, including hate speech, misinformation, disfiguring someone’s face and fabricated election-related information, shall not be created and disseminated as well as hate speech, personal attacks, or inflammatory language targeting opponents, women, minorities, or any other group of people shall not be used in the social media.
The punishment for violating this code has been made stricter as the maximum punishment has been proposed to increase up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of Tk 150,000 instead of six months’ imprisonment and a fine of Tk 50,000.
“The use of AI is discouraged….. Nothing can be done about using social media or using artificial intelligence that violates the code of conduct,” said Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah on Wednesday at a press briefing.
At the briefing, he raised the changes proposed in the draft of the Representation of the People Order (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 which was sent to the Law Ministry to turn into a law as ordinance ahead of the 13th national election.
No Poster
As per the code of conduct, any type of poster cannot be used in the election campaign, while no pamphlets, leaflets, handbills, festoons or banners made from non-biodegradable materials such as rexine, polythene, plastic or any other material that is harmful to the environment shall be used.
In this regard, Sanaullah said the use of posters was also banned in the proposed RPO (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
Besides, no polythene-coated banner, leaflet, handbill or festoon and plastic (PVC) banner can be used in the election campaign in line with the code of conduct.
A candidate cannot install more than 20 billboards in an election area (constituency) and a billboard shall be maximum 16 feet by 9 feet in size.
In the code of conduct, members of the constitutional bodies, the chief adviser, advisers or the persons holding equivalent posts of the interim or caretaker government alongside the prime minister, the speaker, ministers, the chief whip, the deputy speaker, the opposition leader, the deputy leader of the House, the deputy opposition leader, state ministers, whips, deputy ministers and persons holding equivalent posts, MPs and city corporation mayors have been defined as very important persons (VVIPs) and different types of restrictions were slapped on the VVIPs regarding joining the election programmes and campaign.
VVIPs will not be allowed to visit the election area during the by-election to any parliamentary constituencies.
No Drone, Quadcopter
The code of conduct banned the use of any type of drone, quadcopter or such type of machine in the election campaign and the balloting hours.
Besides, the general secretary or persons holding equivalent posts will also be allowed to use helicopters in the campaign but no leaflet, banner or other type of campaign matters can be displayed, distributed or dropped using the copter. But only the chief of a party or the persons holding equivalent posts could use helicopters in the past.
Loud Speakers
The sound from mike (microphone) or loudspeaker used in election campaigns shall not exceed 60 decibel and the mike or other sound amplifying machine must be used from 2pm to 8pm every day.
The violation of the code of conduct could lead to cancellation of the candidature as a provision incorporated in the code alongside the RPO.
Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud told the media on Wednesday that the code of conduct was sent to the Law Ministry for vetting. They have made the punishment stricter for violation of the election code, he added.
But this code of conduct will be final as no approval of the government is required in this regard.