Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a new set of rules to control the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and synthetic content in political campaigns, ahead of the upcoming Jubilee Hills Assembly Constituency bypoll.
Issued on October 24, the advisory seeks to protect the integrity of elections and prevent the spread of fake or manipulated digital material.
In an official statement released on Sunday, District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner R. V. Karnan instructed all political parties, candidates, and campaign teams to strictly follow the ECI’s guidelines to ensure transparency and avoid misinformation during campaigning.
According to the new rules, any AI-generated or digitally altered image, video, or audio used in campaign materials must carry a clear label such as “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced,” or “Synthetic Content.”
The disclosure should be prominently displayed, covering at least 10 percent of the visual area, and in the case of audio, it must be announced within the first 10 percent of the clip’s duration.
Campaign materials must also identify the creator or responsible entity through metadata or captions. The ECI has banned the use of AI-generated content that falsely represents a person’s voice, face, or identity without their consent or aims to mislead voters.
If any misleading synthetic content is detected or reported, it must be removed within three hours. Additionally, political parties are required to maintain internal records of all AI-generated materials used during their campaigns.
Reinforcing the importance of ethical and transparent campaigning, R. V. Karnan said that all political actors must comply with the Commission’s directions to uphold fairness and accountability in the Jubilee Hills bypoll.
He further stated that the use of AI and digital tools in politics should “strengthen, not undermine, the democratic process.”
