Prithviraj Chavan writes to Chief Election Commissioner, demands investigation in link with BJP IT cell for Maharashtra polls

The Election Commission is responsible to ensure that elections can take place in an orderly and fair manner. However, The Election Commission has been accused of hiring an advertising agency owned by a member of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha to operate its social media page during 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections. The state was under the BJP at the time.

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has demanded an inquiry into the matter. He wrote,"It is shocking that Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer had hired an advertising agency owned by a member of BJYM to operate its social media page during 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections. I have asked the Chief Election Commissioner for a thorough investigation in this matter."

It is shocking that Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer had hired an advertising agency owned by a member of BJYM to operate its social media page during 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections. I have asked the Chief Election Commissioner for a thorough investigation in this matter. pic.twitter.com/1dhwaNMIb2

— Prithviraj Chavan (@prithvrj) July 24, 2020

The Election Commission has called for a detailed report from the Chief Electoral Officer of the Maharashtra. In a tweet, ECI Spokesperson Sheyphali Sharan said details have been sought from the Maharashtra Chief Election Officer (CEO) regarding these allegations.

"Regarding tweet of Mr Gokhale @SaketGokhale, Commission has sought detailed factual report in this matter from CEO Maharashtra with respect to alleged locale of the incidence immediately," she said.

Saket Gokhale, an RTI activist, who has levelled these allegations at the poll panel. 

In a series of tweet wrote ,"Election Commission of India literally hired the BJP IT Cell for handling their social media in Maharashtra in the run-up to the 2019 State Assembly Elections."

"The address 202 Pressman House was also used by a digital agency called Social Central. This agency is owned by Devang Dave who is the national convener of IT and social media for BJP's Youth Wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM)," Gokhale said in his tweets.