ECI issues advisory to political parties on use of AI and deepfakes in election campaigns

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a fresh advisory to all national and state-recognized political parties, warning against the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and synthetically generated content during election campaigns. The advisory, dated October 24, 2025, underscores growing concerns over the spread of hyper-realistic deepfakes and AI-altered media that could distort public perception and undermine electoral integrity.

The ECI said it has received reports of manipulated visuals and audio clips depicting political leaders making false or electorally sensitive statements. Such content, it noted, contaminates the level playing field and poses a “deep threat” to free and fair elections.

Invoking its plenary powers under Article 324 of the Constitution, the Commission directed all political parties, candidates, and campaign representatives to ensure strict compliance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, as well as all prior ECI advisories on digital campaigning.

Among the new directions:

• All AI-generated or synthetically altered images, videos, or audio clips used in campaigning must carry a clear and prominent label such as “AI-Generated”, “Digitally Enhanced”, or “Synthetic Content”, covering at least 10% of the visible area (or initial 10% of the duration for audio content).
• The name of the entity responsible for creating the content must be disclosed in metadata or accompanying captions.
• Political parties must refrain from publishing or forwarding any material that misrepresents a person’s identity, appearance, or voice without consent or that could mislead the electorate.
• Any such content detected on official party handles must be removed within three hours of being reported or noticed.
• Parties are also required to maintain internal records of all AI-generated materials, including creator details and timestamps, for verification if sought by the Commission.

The ECI reiterated that these measures are aimed at ensuring transparency, accountability, and voter trust, especially as new technologies blur the line between authentic and synthetic communication.

This latest advisory builds upon earlier directives issued on May 6, 2024, and January 16, 2025, which emphasized ethical social media use and mandatory labelling of AI-generated campaign materials. With the 2025-26 election cycle approaching, the Commission’s move signals a stronger stance on curbing the misuse of technology in political communication.