Election Commission of India Mandates Labeling of AI Campaign Content

The Election Commission of India issued a directive on October 24, 2025, establishing strict guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence and synthetic content by all recognized political parties. Invoking its constitutional powers under Article 324, the Commission warned that hyper-realistic AI-altered media poses a deep threat to electoral integrity because of its ability to "masquerade as the truth."

The mandate requires all AI-generated or altered campaign images, audio, and video to feature prominent labels such as "AI-generated," "digitally enhanced," or "synthetic content." These labels must cover at least 10 percent of the display area or duration. Parties must also disclose the entity responsible for the content in captions or metadata and maintain internal records of all synthetic materials, including creator details and timestamps, for verification.

Under the new rules, parties are prohibited from publishing content that misrepresents a person's identity, appearance, or voice without consent. Misleading synthetic content must be removed from official handles within three hours of reporting. The Commission further directed parties to report fraudulent accounts to social media platforms or escalate unresolved issues to the Grievance Appellate Committee.

These guidelines take immediate effect and apply to the Bihar assembly polls scheduled for November 6 and 11, as well as all future elections, to maintain a level playing field and preserve voter trust.