As the Delhi Election 2025 approaches, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a fresh advisory urging political parties to be transparent and accountable in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for campaigning. The advisory comes ahead of the February 5 elections, with results set to be announced on February 8.
In its advisory, the ECI noted the growing influence of AI-generated and synthetic content in shaping public opinion and advised all political parties, leaders, candidates, and campaigners to take necessary steps to label such content prominently on social media and other platforms.
The advisory reads: “Considering the deepening influence of AI-generated/synthetic content in shaping public opinion, the Election Commission of India advises all political parties and their leaders, candidates, and star campaigners to also take necessary measures for prominent labelling of AI-generated/synthetic content, if any, being shared for campaigning through their social media platforms and other media platforms.”
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Arvind Kejriwal, is contesting against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress for the 70-member Delhi Assembly. AAP secured strong victories in the last two assembly elections, while BJP and Congress struggled to secure significant seats.
The ECI’s guidelines stress that clear and easily recognizable labelling of AI-generated content will ensure responsible, transparent campaigning and allow voters to make informed decisions. Political parties are required to label any AI-generated or digitally altered materials, such as images, videos, or audio, with terms like “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced,” or “Synthetic Content.” Disclaimers should also be included wherever such content is shared in campaign advertisements.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had previously expressed concerns about the potential of AI and deep fakes to exacerbate misinformation, further underlining the importance of ethical practices in the digital age.
The ECI called on all political parties to comply with these directives to maintain fairness and transparency in election campaigning.
