The Election Commission of India (EC) has intervened in a controversy where Facebook removed a segment of an interview with Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan, aired by Manorama News, allegedly under the direction of the Kerala Police. Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer clarified that the issue arose due to objectionable comments posted under the video, with the request being only to remove the comments, not the entire video.
Officials mentioned that the removal of the entire video was a mistake, as the action was intended to address objectionable comments through cyber patrolling measures. Discussions are ongoing with Meta to restore the video promptly if a formal complaint is pursued. The video in question was a segment from an interview conducted by Manorama News Director Johny Lukose, which was blocked in India following a notice from the Cyber Operations wing of the Kerala Police under the IT Act.
The Kerala Police issued a directive to Facebook after noticing abusive and divisive comments in the comment section, seeking removal of the comments to prevent potential law and order issues. However, Facebook mistakenly removed the entire video, despite no content in the segment violating Facebook’s community guidelines or legal provisions. Manorama News has filed complaints against the video’s removal, adding to the ongoing debate over police involvement in online political content during Kerala’s election season.
With the Election Commission now involved and the video likely to be restored, the incident highlights the fine line between regulating content and ensuring free expression during a crucial electoral period.
