Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra on Wednesday warned against hate speeches in the run-up to the 2022 state Assembly polls in Goa, adding that social media feeds would be regularly monitored to track hate speeches and action would be taken in such cases.

“We don’t want any hate speeches which viatiate the atmosphere and even social media be monitored and appropriate action will be taken,” Chandra told a press conference in Panaji on Wednesday.

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An Election Commission of India team led by Chandra is in Goa to review preparatory work for the upcoming polls.

“All polling stations will be webcast. This is the first time we have started webcasting so that the booth can be real-time monitored by the commission so that impartiality of the official can also be supervised,” he also said.

“And if there are any unwanted persons in the booth that can be noticed through the monitoring. This is the first time it is being done in any state and it is the first time it is done to maintain absolute transparency,” he added.

During his ongoing Goa visit, Chandra has interacted with representatives of political parties, government officers, officials of enforcement agencies.

“(Goa) state Assembly will expire on March 15, 2022 elections are to be held before that for 40 Assembly constituencies out of which 39 are general and one is scheduled caste. ECI is totally committed to conduct the assembly elections in a free, fair, impartial, transparent and absolutely inducement free elections,” he said.

“After reviewing the preparedness with district electoral officers, SPs and CEO (Chief Electoral Officer) and state nodal police officials, the Commission also met the nodal officers of the enforcement agencies like I-T, DRI, Customs, Police Railways, Airports to curb the misuse of money, drugs and freebies distribution during the election as also ensuring prompt and effective action on the ground,” he said, adding that the Commission also discussed administrative logistics related to the pandemic with the state’s chief secretary and the Director-General of Police.