EC sets up Election Information Coordination Centre

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 29: The Election Commission (EC) has established an Election Information Dissemination and Coordination Centre (EIDC) to ensure that the House of Representatives (HoR) election, scheduled for March 5, 2026, is conducted in a free, fair, impartial, transparent, and credible manner.

The centre, set up at the EC’s central office, has come into operation from Friday to strengthen communication with voters, candidates, political parties and other stakeholders, and enhance coordination with the media. 

The centre was established with a special focus on countering misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and malicious content on social media during the election period, EC informed. 

The EC said that the centre comprises three units-- Press Office, Information Integrity Promotion Unit, and Digital Voter Education Unit-- and they will work in coordination.  

The Commission has already coordinated with major social media companies, including Meta, TikTok and X, to remove fake accounts, false websites, misleading content, AI-generated deepfake materials and other harmful information related to the elections.

The Commission will also conduct content analysis through expert groups to assess how election-related information is being presented in mainstream and social media, the Commission’s public image, media access for political parties and candidates, and the portrayal of gender, geography and voter education issues. The findings will be used to inform the Commission’s decision-making process.

Highlighting the importance of the EIDC, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari said effective dissemination of factual and official information was essential to maintaining electoral integrity. 

He expressed confidence that the centre would help deliver election-related information, the election code of conduct, and voter education materials effectively to voters, candidates, political parties and other stakeholders.

Bhandari said the Commission has put in place a specialised mechanism involving experts to ensure timely and accurate flow of information and urged media organisations to follow the principles of self-regulation and responsible journalism to support a clean electoral process.

While acknowledging the positive role of the internet and social media in disseminating information, Bhandari warned that these platforms also carry risks, including the spread of false and misleading information. 

He urged journalists and media outlets to be equally vigilant and to prioritise fact-checking before publishing election-related news.

Bhandari said necessary preparations have been made to immediately remove misleading or manipulated content and to initiate legal action against individuals or institutions involved, in coordination with relevant authorities.

“The coordination centre has been launched to ensure that election-related information sought by the media is provided effectively through a one-door system,” Bhandari said. 

He added that the centre would also produce and disseminate simple, easy-to-understand voter education materials for the general public.

The Information Integrity Promotion Unit under the centre will actively monitor and respond to misinformation, disinformation and hate speech on social media platforms.

Commission Joint Secretary and Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said that the centre will play a vital role in increasing voter participation, reducing invalid votes compared to previous elections, and strengthening public confidence in the electoral process.