Bulk SMS services banned during Council polls
HYDERABAD: In connection with the biennial elections to Telangana Council for one Medak-Nizamad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduates Constituency and two Teachers Constituencies in Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Teachers and Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Teachers’ Constituencies on March 22, Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana has issued instructions to prohibit transmission of unauthorised bulk SMSs during the period of 48 hours from 6 pm on March 20 to 6 pm on March 22.
The Returning Officers have been directed to bring these instructions to the notice of all the Mobile Service Providers in Telangana State to ensure that they strictly adhere to the ECI instructions while extending the SMS services to the customers, to have a check on the misuse of SMS services for campaign/political adversaries and to furnish the Account expenditure of all authorised SMSs to this office during the period of 48 hours ending with the hours fixed for conclusion of poll, from 6 pm on March 20 to 6 pm on March 22 as it is an offence under Section 126 of Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Any violation will be taken seriously and appropriate action will be taken under relevant provisions of Election Laws, the CEO said.